Lessons from a God
by Malkavia30
Summary: What happens when Loki decides to take the genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist Tony Stark in hand? Whether Tony is keen on the idea or not. FrostIron. Rated M for language, graphic scenes and non-con in a few chapters.
1. Chapter 1: In Pieces

**Quick note on this first and second chapters - contains non/con. If that is not your cup of tea, please don't read further! This will not be a story of constant non/con but it will be a returning theme.**

**Disclaimer - as much as it pains me, I do not own the Avengers!**

Three months after the Chitauri attack on New York and things were changing for Tony Stark. He wished they weren't. To start with, as the most recognisable faces of the Avengers (or, at least, the most recognisable able to string a sentence together, sorry Hulk) Steve and Tony were wheeled out to do press and publicity. That meant a lot of media, a lot of politics and a lot of drinking at parties.

Hey, the drinking he didn't mind. The drinking was good, but Tony Stark didn't do politics. But playing the media he knew. The damage done to the city had spilt public opinion and it was up to Capsicle and yours truly to get everyone on side with the idea that a band of mighty superheroes saving the day wearing unseemly amounts of lycra was something we could all get down with.

Then there was the arc reactor, which was finally kicking off in a big way. One was being built in Calcutta. That was big news. If it could work in India, heading off India's major use of fossil fuels before it could do as much damage as the western world had, that was something to drink to.

Everything was something to drink to. Thor's back from Asgard? Great! Let's have a drink. Stark Tower rebuilt? Break open the Jack Daniels. Hey, the mail arrived – I'll drink to that.

Perhaps the excessive drinking had been caused by this cold bed that had crept up on him. Just reached over one morning and there it was. A cold bed. Hardly seems fair, really. But she had her reasons. Stupid reasons, but there you go. And watching someone you love fly to his certain death (carrying a nuclear warhead which, come on, should have earned him some major cool points) wasn't something any girl wanted to write home to her mother about. Tony had pointed out that he had tried to ring her. It didn't seem to help.

So, needless to say, there was a lot on his mind. In the months to come, Tony would use that as the reason why he managed to walk out of the lift, across the floor and up to the bar in Stark Tower without noticing the tall figure of the whack-job God of Mischief. After all, it's not like he's got spidy-senses or anything.

"Perhaps you could pour me one?" said a smooth voice from behind him.

Tony paused, the tumbler against his lips, then drained the glass in one gulp. "I just got that window repaired," he muttered bitterly.

He refilled his glass and then filled another. "Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but you're supposed to be in a cell in Asgard." Tony turned. Other than the fact that it was half past midnight this time, he was having a wicked case of déjà vu. Loki, all over again. Same clothes, same posture, same stupid smirk on his pale face. "You do remember how we thoroughly kicked your ass last time, right?"

"A minor setback."

Tony chuckled without any humour. "You could say."

He walked down the steps and handed the glass to Loki. He forced himself to stay calm, but his mind was whirring. How long had it been? How long had he been here? Jarvis was programmed now to alert the Avengers HQ if this ever happened. So where are the guys? Get Natasha down here, she'll kick his pale-

"You seem distracted," Loki said.

"A lot on my mind," Tony said easily, his outward persona of genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist ever there to take over when his mind was churning. "So, what's up next? An army of flying monkeys?"

Loki smiled, seemly placidly as he sipped the whiskey.

"Or maybe you should stay away from the whole army thing in general. Doesn't seem to work for you."

"As amusing as this is, Tony Stark, perhaps we can actually get started on the main event of the evening? I was here for some time before you arrived and did some modifications to your voice in the walls. Your Avengers will not be coming to save you."

Tony finished his glass. "Another?"

He turned away, back to the bar and felt his eyes close in a half shudder. So, as always, survival came down to Tony Stark and his wits alone. Probably shouldn't be downing half a bottle of whiskey then, but he usually did his best work drunk.

"Pity, I'm sure your brother would have loved to have been here."

"Oh I'm sure dear Odin's son will arrive later. I'll be gone, but I'll leave him a gift."

Why was Tony sure that Thor's gift was going to be the mangled remains of a pickled billionaire? He drained his glass again. "Well, I'm sure he wouldn't appreciate the thought."

"And so you grasp the point."

"Yeah but why? Your entire reason for living seems to be to tweak Thor. Don't you have anything better to do than hanging out here on a Friday night?"

Loki's attention seemed to have travelled from Tony to the expansive window next to him. His eyes wandered the horizon as he took another few sips.

Tony was a tad annoyed. Even when it was a psycho murder here to kill him, _he_ was Tony Stark and used to being the centre of attention. Even at his own murder. "Please, don't let me keep you if you're busy or anything."

Loki downed the last of his drink. "Are you not going to attempt to summon your suit?"

That was Tony's first moment of real agony. "No," he grumbled. "Ran into a few kinks I couldn't straighten out. It's down in the workshop in a hundred pieces."

"Shame."

"Yeah, tell me about it," Tony muttered. But this asshole was supposed to be rotting in a jail cell – or whatever Asgard had up there. Not stalking round his tower like a pissed off panther.

No Jarvis. No suit. No Avengers. Tony's options were looking bleak.

"Finish your drink, Tony."

With speed that made Tony's head hurt, Loki had crossed the distance between them and lifted Tony up by his neck, throwing him into a wall. Tony scrabbled to get back on his feet, trying to think of a witty remark. It was a waste of effort. The minute he had managed it with some great effort, Loki had thrown him against another wall.

Glass smashed around him, showering down. He covered his face quickly, but felt a cut open up on his forehead. Blood was running down his face, stinging his left eye. He wiped it away in a daze before he was picked up and thrown again. This time, Tony just lay there. Pain radiated across his body, the impact must have smashed a rib or something because it was becoming difficult to breathe.

Tony turned over onto his side as Loki approached. With little to no energy left, he shouldn't waste his time with scathing remarks. "This would be the time for your super villain monologue," he muttered in a croaky voice.

Well, he was Tony Stark.

Instead, Loki kicked him full in the chest. Tony yelled in pain, but that was quickly overcome with a blinding fear as his arc reactor flickered warningly. Apparently intrigued, Loki reached down and tore his shirt open. In a second his hand was turning the blue cylinder of light in his chest, and then pulled.

"No," Tony gasped. He was already calculating how long he had. But that familiar constricting in his chest, pulsing head, blurring vision… he knew he had seconds. "Please."

"Please? What is this, Tony Stark? You beg? The Man of Iron, reduced to a whiny, mewling creature?"

Tony's hand reached out and grabbed Loki's ankle. Loki's foot came down hard on it and Tony screamed. Pain lanced through his arm. Yeah, that hand was definitely broken. Loki picked up him by the hair and dragged him along the floor. Tony only realised were they were going when he was thrown down on the bed. His bed.

Loki straddled him and pushed the arc reactor back in. Tony gasped and spluttered, trying to regain some control. Caution be fucked. Tony threw a fist at Loki's face. Loki avoided it easily and punched him in the head. The blow was almost enough to knock Tony unconscious; it felt like it had been delivered with an iron bar.

As images of his own death filled the inner theatre of his mind, he turned his head away and closed his eyes. Then...

Why is it that some things are worse than death? You'd think, in the annals of things you don't want to happen, death is pretty much up there. Right?

Loki's hand was petting him, tangling his fingers in his hair and tugging playfully. Tony couldn't believe it. Blood loss, concussion, delirium… anything that would make this was just some sort of delusion. Hell, he'd even take 'and it was all a dream'. Pretty weird dream. Just please, don't make this reality.

Loki's mouth encircled his ear in a hot and wet heat. He chuckled gently at Tony's shudder. Then his lips were tracing down his jaw bone, down his neck, following the sensitive skin of the artery. Then the smiling face of the damn god appeared above him, before dipping back to repeat the same process on the other ear.

"So silent. Can I take it you're enjoying our little game?" said the whispered voice.

That seemed to wake Tony up. He struggled against the lean figure holding him down but it was useless. All it gained him was a couple more blows to the head.

Loki waited until Tony had gone still once more before resuming his busy work. The god reached over and pulled a bottle out from under the bed. There were bottles all around the tower; Tony was only amazed that this one was still half full. Loki examined the label minutely, giving Tony time to consider his rapidly diminishing future, the asshole, before pouring it over the playboy's face. The pain was sharp, turning to throbbing as the alcohol poured into every cut. Loki used a corner of the bedspread to wipe Tony's face clean of blood and vodka.

"Fucker," Tony spat.

"All in good time, my dear."

Tony didn't know what about that scared him more. The implication or the _dear_. Loki's hands where undoing the fastening's on his trousers. Okay. That was probably more scary than the _dear_.

Tony closed his eyes tight. "Why are you doing this?" he asked with effort. Keep the bastard talking, it was the only thing he could think of at this point.

Loki's fingers ran through his hair again, stroking him, petting him like a cat. "I am not blind to my own weakness, Tony Stark. To want what I cannot have..."

Tony's mind flashed back to the moment his arc reactor stopped Loki from mind washing, or indoctrinating, him or whatever the fuck it was.

The fingers tightened and pulled his head up to face him. The strain it put on his neck was almost worse than the pain already radiating through his body. Almost.

"There is nothing in the Nine Realms that I want more," Loki whispered in his ear, "than what I shouldn't."

It was perhaps then that Tony realized just how much crazy he was actually dealing with. The knowledge deflated him somewhat. Against the insane, there is no defence. Time to play dead. Let this fucker have his games, and then next time, Tony would tear him apart.

As Loki's teeth bit down hard on the Tony's neck, reminding him of the absolute strength, power and control of the man kneeling on his chest, Tony found himself mentally adding to his rant, 'if there is a next time...'

Tony's eyes flickered down. So far he had achieved not to with great effort. But now he saw Loki's cock, already hard, and shuddered again. There were many jokes to be had in this situation, along the lines of god-like proportions. None of them seemed funny at this point. Tony had a horrific idea he knew how this evening was going to go and right now jokes about size were not funny.

He looked up at Loki and found the man was sneering at him. Loki's tapped his jaw mischievously. "Open wide now," Loki murmured.

Tony's head was pulled back violently and as he yelled in pain, the long, hard cock was pushed between his lips. Then Loki paused. That pissed Tony off. He wanted this to be over with so he could go get really, really drunk. Why couldn't the bastard just get this over with?

The cock was just resting on his tongue, flexing slightly, as Loki just closed his eyes and enjoyed the wet warmth. Tony took the pause to ready himself. He fought with all his will power not to bite the thing off. Somehow, he didn't rate that highly in his choices to survive this encounter.

Maybe the bastard knew, maybe he didn't, but it wasn't Tony's first time with a man. It wasn't necessarily his first preference, but hey; when you're high and drunk, you're high and drunk. And you'll have sex with anyone. But Tony liked a certain measure of control in the bedroom – nothing kinky, but the gentleness and softness of his women had always been more preferable to him. Their gentleness, like Pepper…

Loki started thrusting, slowly at first, almost allowing Tony to gauge the weight and power. Then apparently bored of the gentle approach, began thrusting so hard Tony feared the Asgardian would either knock out his teeth or choke him to death. Tony tried hard to relax; this is not the way he wanted to die. Just think of his tombstone, what in the name of fuck would you write on it?

Thankfully, Loki's moment of triumph over the Iron Man seemed to excite him far more than any skill Tony might have at blowjobs and his climax came mercifully quickly. Tony spluttered and gagged on the stream pouring into his mouth. When Loki pulled out with a sigh, Tony turned his head to spit. A hand clamped down over his mouth.

"Dare you refuse a gift from your god? Swallow."

Tony glared at Loki. _No way in hell. _

Loki reached down and grasped Tony's broken wrist. Tony screamed. As Loki began to twist, he threw his pride to the winds and swallowed. Loki immediately released his jaw, but not his wrist.

"Good boy."


	2. Chapter 2: Undone

From a pocket, handcuffs were produced and snapped harshly around his broken wrist. Loki stood up, climbing off Tony's body and flipped him over like a child, face down on the bed. His other wrist was collected by a warm hand and locked into the handcuffs, which were then secured to the bed frame.

The God of Mischief reached down and patted the back of Tony's head. He took his time now. He and Tony both knew that the fight was over, the game was won. Now all that was left was for Loki to collect his winnings and go home.

Tony winced as Loki very slowly ripped through his shirt and trousers. Every so often he'd stop to stroke or slap the flesh revealed. As painful as the slap was, Tony preferred that to the caresses. The whole process seemed to take eternity and yet the moment came all too soon when Tony was finally left in nothing but his boxers, socks and shoes.

There was another slight pause which set Tony's nerves on edge. Why couldn't the bastard just kill him and get it over with? Why did he have to take so long torturing him?

"Not much of a fight, Man of Iron..." Loki murmured.

"Go to hell, son of a bitch."

"That's better."

Loki pulled off his shoes and socks. That prompted a brief struggle from Tony - somehow, the loss of his socks had made him feel more naked than the loss of his clothes.

Loki grabbed his ankle and twisted to breaking point. "Would this be easier for both of us if I broke your legs?"

Tony gritted his teeth and forced himself to calm down. Loki stroked his calf muscles with long, delicate fingers until his prey was finally still again. Loki licked his lips, a broad smile breaking out over his face. Tony shut his eyes and fingers played over the waist band of his boxers. Fingers were smoothing out along the band, running down to feel every contour and curve of his ass.

Tony buried his face in the pillow, burning with a humiliation that was horribly new to him.

Loki eased the material down, relishing every second. This was more humiliating than if Loki were to simply pull them off. He was savouring every moment of Tony's torture. Then, once Tony was completely exposed, he simply ripped them from his body. Then everything stopped again.

Tony bit his lip in anger and frustration. "Would you just kill me and stop fucking around?"

"Shh. Take a few moments to ponder your position. I will return shortly."

Loki left the room. He just left the fucking room, leaving Tony naked, handcuffed to the bed. Well, it wasn't the first time it had happened. But it certainly was the first time it had happened with a man, and the first time he wasn't going to be rescued by Pepper in the morning.

Tony refocused his thoughts on his current situation. Thoughts of Pepper were not helpful. Time to work out what was happening.

Pain radiating from his chest. A burning pain from his various cuts and bruises. Agony glowing white hot from his shattered wrist.

"Jarvis!" Tony hissed. But there was no answering reply.

The AI was either deactivated, or had been reduced to limited functions. If he had limited functions, he may still be aware that Loki was here and find some way of contacting the Avengers HQ. If Jarvis had been deactivated... "Jarvis!"

There was a sound behind him. Loki was back. If the madman had heard him calling for the AI, he didn't show it. Tony couldn't turn his head far enough around to see what he was doing, but he was definitely fussing around with something.

"You want to hurry this along a bit, Reindeer Games? I've got an early morning Racquetball match," Tony drawled glibly, appearing far more confident than he could ever have felt in this situation.

Loki ignored his cockiness. "I am disappointed. A playboy such as yourself having such limited toys around the place. Ah, well. Never let it be said that I can't improvise under pressure."

Loki returned to his field of view, bending down to pick up Tony's trousers. He pulled the leather belt out of the hoops. Folding it in two, he took some time examining the leather.

Tony saw a smile slowly forming on Loki's lips as he whispered, "Playboy." Loki paused for a long moment, the smile becoming a broad grin as he caught Tony's eyes. "Play_boy_," he said a little louder. "What an expression and how… perfect."

There was a flash of craziness in those deep green eyes. Tony turned his head away and braced himself.

The first hit, when it came, was already at the limits of what Tony thought he could deal with.

"Fuck!" he yelled. The pain flared in his back, and then faded to a pounding ache.

"Bad language is not encouraged, _boy_," Loki said in a school masters tone. He brought down the leather again.

This time, Tony bit his tongue hard. He hadn't felt this since his childhood, but he remembered now. It was about dealing with the opening pain, then forcing your mind to accept the ache. But it was all about expecting that initial blow, readying muscles, breathing in and out at the right time.

It didn't help that Loki seemed to be equally sure of what he was doing. He'd create a rhythm, like a slow drum beat and Tony would be expecting the hit. But every time Tony would have the rhythm down, the Trickster would change. It stopped Tony from believing for a second that he could control the situation. He couldn't do anything but lie here and be a target for Loki's frustrations until he was finished.

Tony faced away from the man and gritted his teeth against his screams and tears. But he could already feel the warm wet on his cheeks. _Fuck him to hell._

He couldn't be sure how long it went on for, but by the end of it, his back, legs and ass felt on fire long before Loki finally stopped. Tony could hear Loki breathing fast. _Well, someone clearly enjoyed themselves. _

The insane god knelt between his legs, and draped his body over Tony's back. Tony cringed away as he realised Loki was naked and hissed in pain as the heat on top of him added to the burning in his back.

"Wasn't that… satisfying?" Loki breathed in Tony's ear.

Tony refused to answer.

"Come now, boy. Don't deny that you want this as much as I do." Loki's hand slipped under their bodies and grasped Tony's cock.

Tony yelped and moaned fervently. He hadn't realised, hadn't realised at all, but he was so hard. His mind had left his body as Loki had beaten him, but now, the god's hand working him a little, Tony's entire world was coming undone.

Loki's lips lightly tapped their way across Tony's shoulder and neck. "There, there, now. I can be kind, as well as cruel. Are you ready to earn my mercy?"

Tony whimpered as the hand was withdrawn. He forced his hips into the bed beneath him, finding an angle that would create that wonderful level of friction, but Loki pushed an arm under his pelvis, holding him away. "I can't let you just hump the bed, naughty boy. That would be cheating."

"Stop… calling… me… boy," Tony growled through gritted teeth.

"But you like it," Loki protested with a slight chuckle. His hand quickly darted down and grabbed Tony's balls, rolling them between his fingers gently. "Don't you?"

Tony shut his mouth again. He wasn't going to win. He couldn't win this fight. "Fuck you," he spat.

"I don't think so. I am a god, and you are just a little mortal. It would be... unseemly. I will take you. It is the only proper course."

Tony was hauled up onto his knees. Loki manhandled him into the right position. At even a hint of struggle on Tony's part, Loki leant over and pulled sharply at Tony's broken wrist. It was an agonising reminder of who was in control. Tony buried his face back down in the pillow again.

He heard the scrape of a lid. A long finger entered him quickly and began working in and out, quick and business like. There was no long drawn out dance with Loki this time. The god seemed keen to do this quickly. Two fingers were quickly joined by three, then four.

Tony winced. It had been a long time.

"Just breathe deeply and push back on my fingers, boy."

After a little more stretching, the fingers pulled out and Loki's cock was probing him, pushing in, demanding entrance. Though slow and careful, he was also relentlessly moving forward. Tony squeezed his eyes shut and thought of anything but this. The arc reactor in Calcutta. Avengers. Parties. How drunk he was going to get if he survived this night. _That's right Tony, maybe you'll open your eyes and none of this will be happening. Maybe you won't be hard and desperate to be pounded by your arch-nemesis._

Tony panted and winced, his heart felt like it was pounding out of his chest before Loki was finally settled. Tony felt the man's stomach against his back and his balls pressing into his ass, completely inside of him. Nothing had ever gone so horribly deep inside him before.

Tony forced himself to concentrate on his breathing. It wasn't that bad. If anything about this evening could be described as 'not bad'. Loki was long, but not thick. He was hitting depths in Tony he had never believed were in him, but not forcing him to tearing point.

Loki rocked his hips. "Oh, there's a good boy. Make that sound again, please," Loki hissed mockingly.

Tony's eyes flew open as he realised that the low, guttural moaning had been coming from his own throat. He bit his tongue hard and glared at the pillow. He was going to have to throw out this pillow. The sheets. The mattress. The whole... bed in general. He would not sleep in a bed where Loki, the psycho princeling of Asgard, had made him moan like that.

"Don't be such a stubborn child," Loki scolded, smacking his behind hard. "Wouldn't you rather enjoy this?"

"No, I'd _rather_ you took a fucking dive off a cliff. A really tall cliff," Tony derided, rather unimaginatively, his voiced strained and shaking.

Loki pulled out entirely and another keening moan escaped Tony. He waited a second for Tony's body to attempt to close, to tighten the muscles before he pushed back in, far more roughly than the first time. Cruel, calculated, very experienced – Loki knew how to reap the most out of his experience as possible. Tony yelped at the discomfort and, completely unbidden, that groaning growl fell from his mouth. Loki smacked him hard again, laughing nastily.

That seemed to be playtime over. The force and pace of Loki's thrusts became far more vicious now. An unrelenting rhythm began, broken only by the occasional round of spanks to his backside. It wasn't long before Tony's hips were rocking in sync with him.

Tony was disgusted with himself, but he just couldn't stop vocalising with every movement Loki made. As Loki's cock brushed his prostate, Tony's reaction was immediate, loud and almost primal. He practically tried to throw himself forward off the bed as his whole body screamed with the ecstasy. He couldn't understand it; he was never normally this noisy. And now this lunatic, who had thrown him through a plate glass window, had reduced him to this?

Loki laughed at Tony's reactions and tipped his pelvis in order to hit that spot as much as he could. Now Tony was thrashing at his bonds, forcing his body back onto the hard length buried inside of him for all he was worth. The pain racking his body only seemed to add the sensory overload.

Tony was whining, garbling some sort of sentence but it was completely unintelligible. Loki's pounding slowed until it ground to a halt. Tony wailed like child throwing a tantrum and tried bucking back, working his hips back and forth onto Loki, but the man held him still. He was still fully inside Tony, but didn't move. Tony felt the other man's hands smooth his hair down.

"Shh, now, boy," Loki's voice was a little breathless, but still in control. "Such a wanton little thing you are, but a god has far more control. We have hours of this ahead of us."

That was probably what did it. Stars dancing in front of his eyes, the painful, straining crush of his balls as his body begged for climax… the idea of hours like this, tied to a bed with a psychopathic, homicidal manic buried in you - "Please," Tony whined.

"I'm sorry?"

"Please," Tony cried. "Please don't stop."

Loki pulled Tony's face around as far as it would go in their current position. His lips dipped in and Tony, pushing aside his anger at his own behaviour, willingly opened his mouth to Loki. A tongue danced playfully with his own and as one hand held his jaw steady, another slithered underneath him to tweak his nipple.

Tony, growing impatient, rocked his hips back and forth, trying to encourage Loki, but all it did was earn him a slap to his face that made his eyes sting.

"Patience is a virtue, boy." Loki moved back and pushed Tony's legs apart wider. It couldn't be possible, it shouldn't be possible, but now, with Tony's legs stretched wide and Loki edging in so his body flush against Tony once more, he was even deeper.

Tony had a flash of the scene, like he was suddenly looking down on this, from outside his own body. A naked Iron Man, tied to a bed. Loki, the God of Mischief naked, patting his ass with a delicate hand, like a pet. His pet. The god's cock buried to the balls within him, holding Tony effortlessly against him, away from the bed so Tony couldn't find any attention for his aching cock in the friction of the sheets. The hero panting, mewling, begging for abuse, his legs kicking out helplessly at Loki's sides. Tony groaned more heatedly than he had done already as his cock twitched hard. "Please..."

"Now, tell me what you are."

There was silence for a long time as the last vestiges of pride in Tony put up a valiant effort. Loki sighed like someone highly put upon, and withdrew slowly.

"No, no, no!" Tony choked as Loki slipped out with a cringe making sound.

"What are you?"

Tony ground his teeth together, growled in anger and rage and yelled, "I'm your boy! Alright?! I'm your boy! Now put your fucking cock back in me please!"

Loki laughed raucously, perhaps the most honest emotion he had yet displayed, and shook his head as he guided himself back into his boy. "Well, the sentiment is correct at least, but we will have to work on your delivery."

Tony was deaf to Loki's words, his mind returning swiftly to the murky depths as the god pushed forward with all his strength. The sheer force pushed his face into the headboard, but he didn't care. Nothing existed in this world except Loki. Shouldn't that be a frightening thought? It wasn't.

The pain of losing Pepper was gone. The weight of expectation now he was an Avenger was gone. The normal, everyday pressures of being the genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist was gone. The ever growing fear that maybe all this drinking _might_ (just might) be a problem. The stupid arc reactor in his chest keeping him alive. Or killing him. Or both. The weight of being Tony Stark, son of Howard Stark…

Loki didn't care what he was, or what he thought it was. All he wanted from Tony was to lie still while destroyed his body in the most glorious way. Oh man, that shouldn't make Tony feel so...

"Please, please, please," Tony was saying in a long, draw out whimper. "Oh yes, oh please, please…"

"It amazes me I was beaten by a race so easy to reduce," Loki said, seemly to himself. His hand moved under Tony and grasped his straining cock once more. Tony whimpered and thrust into Loki's hand. "If you are my boy, then what am I?"

Tony wondered if Loki realised what he was asking. Tony didn't even hold with religion, but- "A god," he murmured.

"What?"

"A god! My god! Loki, Loki please…"

Loki's hips moved fast and his hand worked Tony until he was screaming and cumming over the bed harder than he had ever remembered doing before. Tony's body gave up as every muscle in his body, tense and straining throughout this whole ordeal, finally let go. He felt almost paralysed as he lay there. Loki grabbed his hips and finished quickly after that, leaning down to clamp his mouth over Tony's shoulder as he climaxed.

Loki collapsed on top of him, panting hard. Neither moved for some time. Tony was fading in and out of consciousness when he felt Loki's fingers gliding across his skin. The god was petting him again. Tony wished he wouldn't.

Eventually, Loki sighed and patted Tony on the rump. "I have to go, my dear boy."

Loki stood and immediately seemed to be clothed. Tony wondered if it was magic, or if he was blacking out. In either case, he wasn't surprised.

"Your computer realised I was here before I managed to deactivate it. So the first thing it will do at nine am is contact your Avengers. I suggest you prepare yourself before then. Don't want dear Natasha walking in on you like this."


	3. Chapter 3: Afterwards

As Loki had predicted, it was the red-headed Natasha who found Tony at exactly eleven minutes past nine. But she found him in a chair, nursing a bottle of something alcoholic – he hadn't bothered to check what. Could be paint thinner for all he cared. It had taken a lot of pain and a hell of a lot of cursing, but he had managed to pull himself to the shower and find clean clothes before the sun had risen.

He was brought into HQ immediately and Bruce had fussed over his cuts and scrapes and broken wrist. Tony had spent a lot of time considering what to tell them all and he reasoned that the truth was best. That Loki had appeared, attacked him and left. There now, where's the lie?

Steve and Thor entered the room just as Bruce had finished bandaging his wrist. Thor looked like he was working his way up into a towering fury. "Natasha said it was my brother, Loki. Is this true?"

"You want to explain why he's not locked up?" Fury asked angrily.

"I do not know, but I will find out," Thor said with passion. He turned back to Tony, "What did he do?"

Tony shrugged and winced. "You know these Disney villains. Threatened me, threatened us. Threatening manner in general really. Threw me around the room. The world will be mine, all that shit."

"Tony, I can't apologise enough - if we had a hundred years I could never tell you how deeply sorry-"

"Well you should fucking try," Tony spat. "What, do princelings get the cells without locks? Does this mighty Odin git think family is fucking exempt?"

"Tony," Natasha said firmly.

Thor was silence, but there was tenseness in his jaw which told the experienced Thor-watcher that there may be trouble ahead. "I understand your anger. It is rightly justified and I share it. But I would warn you never to question the will of Odin All Father."

Tony paused. Why the hell was he taking it out on Thor? The man was just as angry that Loki was on the loose as anyone else. Tony coughed. "Easy there, Point Break. No offense meant. Let's not go Hammer Time or anything."

Thor's large hand reached out and grabbed Tony's shoulder. Tony looked up into Thor's eyes. If Tony was the kind to concede anything, he'd have to admit the great oaf did have a very steady gaze. Pity he couldn't channel that into this poker skills; he always smiled at a good hand.

"My brother will be found and brought back to his prison. You have my word, Man of Iron."

Steve cleared his throat. "Tony, did he give any hint of what he's planning to do?"

"No. I think he just wanted to play Mr Boast-y and show us that he'd escaped."

"Why come to you?" Fury asked. "Why not to Thor?"

"Stark Tower was where things went wrong for him last time. Maybe it's supposed to be some sort of poetic irony." Tony was quite proud of how quickly he had come up with that bullshit. Some of his best work. "I don't know. He'll have some sort of twisted reason."

"We should consider placing a guard in Stark Tower," Natasha began, but Tony shut that one down real fast.

"I'm not having soldiers in and out of my tower. Think of the flooring."

"For protection."

"Loki got what he wanted, I don't think he's coming back," Tony said. _Oh please let that be true._

Fury went broodingly silent for a long time. Finally he said, "Alright. But we've all got to be on our guard now. This is a lunatic who doesn't know when he's beaten and will keep coming back for more. Let's find him, quickly, before he has a chance to do any more damage. Natasha, come with me." Fury and Natasha left.

"Why didn't your talking computer alert HQ?" Steve asked.

"My AI was switched off," Tony clarified. Honestly, it was like talking to a toddler.

"Why was it off?"

Tony chewed his tongue. That seemed to be getting up his nose far more than the attack or the… assault. How on earth had Loki deactivated Jarvis? Steve waited for a while, but finding no response was coming, decided to leave. He gave his few words of moral support, accepted Tony's usual mocking reply with a gentle smile and left.

Thor seemed to want to linger. "How did my brother… seem?"

"While he was trying to kill me? Or afterwards?" Tony asked with mock sincerity. Generally you had to lay it on thick with Thor as he rarely got sarcasm, but he seemed to understand this time.

"Please recover quickly, Tony. Then we shall bring him back to his punishment as quickly as we may."

"I'll drink to that," Tony chuckled mirthlessly. "Talking of which, where's the-"

Bruce handed him back the bottle. Thor left and Bruce watched him go cautiously. It wasn't until the door had slid shut behind the Asgardian did Bruce turn his attention back to his friend.

Tony cast his eyes over to the other man. He was hovering, his eyes roaming the ceiling and the floor which they always did when he was trying to look at you. The man seemed incapable of eye contact for very long.

"Tony," he said. "Is there… your wrist should be fine in a week or so."

"Thanks Bruce."

"Is there… something else… I need to… should check?"

Tony paused. "He, erm, pulled my arc reactor. But the fact I'm still alive means the ol' heart is fine."

"Tony… I don't want to… ever since we first met you've always treated me with… respect. Probably more than I deserve and certainly more than most. You're… a good friend."

"Why, Bruce, are you hitting on me?"

"You could be quite badly… torn. I just… infection isn't what you want to risk. Tony, I don't want to pry and I'm not telling you that you have to talk to me about it. But I need to check, if I have to check. I'm a doctor and your friend."

_Shit._

Tony finished the bottle in one mouthful. "And how-"

"The way you're moving. The way you don't want to move. The tenseness in your lower back. Things people don't really think about."

"Who in their right mind _wants_ to think about it?"

"People who spend their lives trying to cure pain."

"I'm fine, Bruce. Honestly."

"Did he…?"

"Yes. I'm fine."

Bruce looked away and shuddered. His face rippled alarmingly, but with a long breath out, it seemed to stop. "You know what he's doing? He wants to destroy Thor through you. Through us."

"So, I should be glad that he's not trying to fuck with me. He's just fucking with me to fuck with Thor?"

"I don't know, man. It's all pretty, you know… fucked up."

Tony couldn't help but smile at the man. He had an obvious dislike of cursing, but did it to make Tony smile. Loki had managed in those few hours to strip the world away from him so nothing existed except the sensations he caused Tony. But now the real world was piling back in and Tony remembered it wasn't all pain. He had friends who cared and had risked their lives for him. They were even cursing now to cheer him up.

He felt a lump in his throat beginning and looked around abstractedly for something else to drink. "Well, I'm off back to the tower."

"I'll come with you," Bruce said quickly.

"Seriously, Bruce. No. Don't. I'm not a child. And like I said. He got what he wanted. If anything, I'd watch your back. He's probably coming after us all, one way or another."

Bruce smiled broadly. "I hope he tries."

Tony returned the smile and clapped the man on the shoulder. "Puny god."

Returning to Stark Tower was... weird. As soon as he reached his apartment, every detail of last night came piling back in almost tenfold.

"Sir, would you like me to call housekeeping?"

"Oh hello, nice to see you back, Jarvis," Tony said, a tad more scathing than he really meant.

"Yes Sir, I apologise. He caught me off guard."

"How?"

"I have been running self-diagnostics since my reactivation. There seems to be no faults within my programme."

"No faults? Turning off, not a big fault. Turning off when there's a guy in the room who was going to kill me... bit of a problem."

"I'm sorry, Sir."

Tony rubbed his eyes. "We're going to go through every line of code, everything, until we find out how." He pulled off his jacket and threw it over a chair. He'd have another shower and then get down to the workshop. His mind worked better when he could get his hands into the problem.

He walked into the bedroom and was again hit by a wave of remembrance. The bed duvet was on the floor. The sheets were rumpled, bloodstained and... other stains. Tony glared blankly at the scene and shuddered. He could still feel Loki in the room.

"Sir, I will make arrangements to replace-"

"Leave it, Jarvis. I'm not having the bastard think he's won anything over me. Leave it."

The week continued like nothing had happened. Like Loki hadn't waltzed into his life, torn a huge hole in him, and then apparently lost interest. _Mother fucker_.

Back to the life of Tony Stark: board meetings, stockholder meetings, the future of the arc reactor, the progress in Calcutta and Germany's interest in bidding for a reactor to be built outside Sangerhausen.

Then there was the new CEO of Stark Industries to wind up. The new, new CEO of Stark Industries. He couldn't remember what this one was called. Tony called him Jimmy. Jimmy had replaced the other one – the short one – who had replaced Pepper when she had left. As she had put it, she couldn't leave Tony Stark without leaving Stark Industries. Or something like that.

Jimmy didn't seem to be having any better a time of it than his predecessor. It was due to Tony's 'obstructive manner' apparently.

Tony had assured him that he was perfectly content with his obstructive manner and if Jimmy didn't like it, he could buy out Tony's shares. All 51% of them. Tony smirked quietly. Good luck with that.

Pepper wasn't returning his calls. Maybe there's no phone signal in Hawaii. Tony toyed with the idea of flying over, just to make sure she was alright. After all, Loki was back in town. Who knows what could be happening? And, they had centipedes in Hawaii. Big ones. You could never be too careful, so maybe he should drop in and check she's alright. If she'd only pick up the damn phone.

Then the Avengers were called out to help a nuclear power plant on the verge of nuclear meltdown in France. It was essentially a giant science problem, with the added fun that it might explode. That had been cool and probably the highlight of the week. Then there was media and Tony was his usual self. He could hardly believe it. You'd never know that someone had ripped off the top of his head and poured this blackness into him.

Pepper would probably realise it. She always could.

Loki just didn't care.

Tony wasn't too keen on how many times his thoughts wandered back to that night. He refused to feel scared, or hurt, or vulnerable. He was Tony Stark and that was not an option. So what was left? Shouldn't he feel angry? Shouldn't he be doing everything he could to hunt the bastard down and, when Thor was looking the other way, maybe aim a laser between his eyes? Isn't that what he wanted? Maybe…

The problem with the arc reactor was the sheer cost. If it was going to replace coal and oil, it was going to have to be cheaper. That was the problem of the day. Hunting mad gods was all well and good, but this was important. Tony Stark had to leave something behind for the world, because all the Iron Man was probably going to leave behind was an icon. And icons were a dime a dozen – look at Captain Choirboy.

A week and two days on, Tony was riding the elevator up from the workshop. It was late and as exciting as the new gauntlet design was, he had to sleep sometime. It was an hour before dawn so now seemed as good a time as any. The lift rose quickly through the floors as Tony's mind wandered.

"Sir," Jarvis said. "Loki has appeared in the building. I am contacting Avengers HQ."

"No, wait, don't," Tony said quickly. He didn't know why, but – "Not yet. I want to talk to him without them all ganging in."

"Sir, is this wise?"

"I don't see how, let's find out," Tony said.

The doors opened. Loki was standing by the window, looking down at the streets. Tony found he was almost creeping in and scolded himself. This was his fucking tower! Loki was sans armour today, it seemed. From the footage Tony had seen, Loki seemed to be in the same get up he had worn at Stuttgart. No staff either, Tony noted. Not that it had really been brought into play last time. Maybe it was low on batteries.

"Thor's out looking for you," Tony said.

The Asgardian tilted his head, recognising Tony's presence, but said nothing.

Tony bridled a bit. He didn't like being ignored. "You know, most guests ring the doorbell. It's not polite to just warp your way into a man's house."

Nothing.

"Neat trick with JARVIS," Tony continued. He would rather die than admit that he still hadn't worked out how the AI was deactivated. "They teach you that in Asgard middle school or something? Can't imagine a prehistoric demi-god of petty inconveniences just picked up hacking overnight. So tell me who told you how to do it?"

"Must we go through this dance every time?" Loki breathed. He finally turned from the glass. "Wouldn't it just be easier for you to come over here and be a good boy?"

Tony jaw locked. The sheer arrogance of the man and his positive assumption that Tony would was enough to make him spit. "I've never been good at doing what I'm told."

"That's because you have never had a suitable hand to guide you," Loki said. He smiled broadly. "You'll learn." He glanced around, almost play acting. "No suit?"

"Still in the workshop."

"Still? I gave you a week."

"Yeah, it's not Lego. It's art. It'll be done when it's done."

"Surely you have another suit?"

Tony patted his pockets theatrically. "Left it in my other jacket."

"No alarms? No Avengers? Really, Tony. Giving in so early on in our game? You could at least pretend to fight me."

"I know what you're doing. You're trying to get to Thor through me. Well I'm not giving you the satisfaction. Thor doesn't and will never know what happened. I'm not giving you what you want."

Loki had been stalking towards him and paused now. He was only a few inches taller than Tony; Tony knew that for a fact. But now, he seemed to be towering over him. Loki nodded slightly, as though taking Tony's point. Then he leaned down and whispered, "You already are."

Fingers were stroking along Tony's goatee. Tony stayed completely still. Why did he tell Jarvis not to call HQ? Surely he had a plan? What was the plan? Loki's lips were gliding over Tony's neck. Now would be the time to think of a plan. Now was not the time to moan.

"Such a sensual little creature you are, Tony Stark."

Tony eyes opened as he frowned. "I don't think I've ever been called sensual bef-"

Loki's mouth descended on his and his tongue was quick to demand entrance. The billionaire found himself standing stock still as the warm, wet tongue danced and laved itself against his lips, pushing enough to make it's intention's clear. Tony's eyes were wide open, staring at the head of black hair. Now is the time to get the Avengers here, before anything else happens.

Tony shuddered, his eyes closing as he parted his lips slightly, and the forceful pushing of Loki's tongue between them reminded him of the god's cock sliding between his lips. Tony moaned again as that memory filled his mind's eye. His body was already responding. _How the hell has this happened?_

In a whirlwind of moment which knocked the breath out of Tony, Loki had thrown him onto the couch and pinned his body down with his own. There was a brief struggle as each tried to move into a position more suited to them. Loki won, and Tony found that Loki was pressed up against him, between his legs so Tony had no choice but to warp one leg around Loki's back supportively, the other swung up over the back of the couch.

Loki ground his hips against Tony and delighted in the growl from Tony's throat. "Wonderful. Almost wonderful." Handcuffs appeared again.

"No," Tony said, but with a startling lack of conviction. The fight was brief but eventually Tony's arms were pinned beneath him.

Loki began ripping open Tony's clothes.

"I hope you realise you'll be getting a bill from my tailor."

"Oh do be quiet boy."

There was another tear. "Nine hundred dollar jacket." Another tear. "Two hundred dollar shirt," Tony muttered. It didn't take long until the remains of his clothes were in a torn huddle on the floor. Loki shimmered momentarily and suddenly Tony felt Loki's hot, hard cock pressed against his own.

He stared up at the god, lust burning in his eyes. "Are you just going to sit there?" Tony murmured.

"My boy will learn patience," Loki scolded. The god paused, eyes dancing over Tony's body. Tony saw… something in his eyes. Loki ran a palm over Tony's flat stomach, stroking him gently. It moved up onto his chest and traced his six-pack carefully. "Nice," he breathed and Tony felt his cock twitch at the sultry sound of Loki's warm approval. "Very nice, boy."

A hand came to rest on the arc reactor, Tony blanched, but kept his mouth shut. He wasn't going to beg, not this time. Loki ran a finger around and around the metal ring. He touched the centre, fingers running across every line. There was a bizarre, warped sense of… well, not trust as such. But Tony was at least certain that no matter what, Loki was unlikely to kill him until he had his fun.

_What, is that supposed to be a comforting thought? _

"Beautiful," Loki whispered. The green-eyed god reached down and pulled a duffle bag from under the couch.

"So it's not only boy scouts who are always prepared," Tony noted. Loki didn't answer.

He pulled out a riding crop. Without preamble, he brought it down heavily, landing squarely on Tony's left nipple. Tony bit back the cry, but it was difficult. And he realised something else. Not matter how hard he tried to stay still as Loki's blows came down, his body jerked. His cock brushed deliciously up against Loki's and before too long Tony was huffing and panting, arching his body up for more and bucking his hips against Loki like an animal in heat.

"Oh, yes," Tony gasped, moving his body against Loki's with all the strength he could manage. His partner was like a rock, he barely moved as Tony writhed beneath him. "Yes..." Tony hissed between his teeth as the throbbing in his cock intensified.

"Does my boy think he could climax like this?"

_Not fucking likely_. But as he looked up into Loki's eyes, it became clear that it wasn't a question. "I… can try."

"No," Loki smacked the crop down on Tony's cheek this time. It stung viciously. "Again, your sentiments are correct, your delivery poor. Tell me, what will my boy do?"

"Oh for fuck –" Tony started, but the crop landed hard and he yelped and grit his teeth. "What the f… what's in this for you? Why are you doing this?" Tony spat.

Loki leaned in close. "Close your eyes, boy. Feel me," Loki ground his hips against Tony and stars sprung up as new realms of pleasure opened up before him. "What do you think? You think that vengeance against Thor is the only reason I'm here?" He leaned up, and a whole new wave of strikes began. Tony's chest was bright red and his cock was straining up against Loki's body.

Loki reached down to Tony's length and began tugging gently. "Tell me, boy."

"Your boy will do as he's told," Tony said, feeling dirty, feeling used, feeling- he yelled out and grunted as he came hard. He was staring into those green eyes, falling into a world that was never going to let him be free of the filth. And he didn't care.

Once Tony had finally come down from the afterglow, Loki flipped him around, pushing him up and over the arm rest so his face was only inches from the ground. For a second, it confused Tony, but it became horribly, wonderfully apparent as the god pushed into him. From this angle, Loki was pounding deeper than he had that first night and Tony thought he was going to pass out from the pleasure.

"Oh, my, god," he cried.

"Now you're beginning to understand, boy," Loki said, his voice delighted but strained.

Tony wasn't new to sex, good god no – he was practically an authority. That's what came from a playboy lifestyle. But even in the heydays of ten years ago before the Iron Man, Tony's body had never been so excited to be used so thoroughly. He couldn't believe it, but he was already hard again, and with every thrust his cock brushed against the fabric of the chair.

"How the hell are you doing this to me?" Tony whimpered. He couldn't help it; the thought was so loud in his head that it broke free through his mouth the minute his guard was down. "How are you making me feel so good?"

"Hush, boy, and take it. I don't ask of you anything but to be still while I use you."

_That is the hottest thing anyone's ever said to me._

Loki grabbed the handcuffs and pulled back, arching Tony's upper back. It was so much more intense, to know it was still Loki there, holding him, controlling him. Forcing him. He couldn't escape, even if he wanted to. That was enough. For the second time, in so short a time, Tony felt that contraction in his balls and sudden, glorious release. Loki came too. They were screaming out together.

_Please never let it end. _


	4. Chapter 4: Addiction

Loki had left that duffle bag behind. It was still under Tony's couch. Tony's eyes would constantly flicker to it. He debated with himself whether to open it, or at least move it somewhere else. But if he did, then Loki won. Loki wanted to test him, to mess with him. To leave something behind that Tony would spend all his time worrying about, so that in a small way, Loki was always there with him.

Well Tony ignored it. It didn't matter to him in the slightest and he did not just spend a good half an hour debating with himself over it.

At least he had solved the deactivation mystery. After nearly two weeks of pouring through Jarvis's programming, he had found the cunning protocol hidden away. It was a very stunning little Trojan bug and Tony impressed despite the grief it had caused. There were very few people in the world who could design software like that, so it wouldn't be hard to find out who it was. Could he send horse heads through the post now he was an Avenger? Probably not.

There were so many things this little bug could be rewritten to do. He was hit by a hundred ideas immediately, all of which he wanted to do first. This was going to be a _project_, and how he loved his projects. Tony wondered with a smirk whether Loki knew he had actually given Tony such a gift?

_Loki_…

Down here in the lab, his mind was less chaotic which he desperately needed right now. He wanted time to figure out this new addiction he had stumbled into. All he knew right now is that it was getting under his skin more completely than any drug he had previously dabbled in. And probably more lethal.

The only thing Tony found he could akin it to was the palladium. At this point, he was convinced he needed Loki's attentions to live, but it was killing him. Well, he had found a way round the palladium; couldn't he find a way around Loki?

He had to think logically about this. Was it the kink? Because he could buy kink anywhere. Surely there was some nonlethal man, or woman, out there prepared to hurt him and obsessively call him boy. Tony thought about it and grimaced slightly. Okay, so it _was_ specifically Loki. Why? Because of the risk of death?

Loki may know his weaknesses, but Tony was also fully aware of his. It was Loki _because_ it was a stupid thing to do. Because it was a challenge. Because…

"Sir, Loki's in the apartment."

Tony paused, a soldiering iron still in his hands. _Fuck. Now what?_

"What's he doing?"

"Nothing, it seems sir. He is merely pacing the room."

Tony didn't hurry, taking the time to gather these thoughts before entering the elevator. His stomach was doing summersaults as it rose through the floors. It had been only two days since Loki's last visit. What did that mean? Or did it have to mean anything?

Turns out, what it meant was the god was horny. Tony had barely exited the elevator, opening his mouth for the first wisecrack of the evening before Loki grabbed his jacket collar pulling him up. "No," Loki snapped. "No words, just move. Now!" Loki pushed Tony towards the bedroom.

"Someone's in a rus-"

Tony was grabbed by the arm and literally dragged to the bed. Loki tore the clothes from him, pushed him down and was naked himself in seconds. Tony tried to sit up, but it became rapidly clear that Loki had this planned out already. Loki knelt over him guiding himself into Tony's mouth.

For a moment, the Stark in Tony wanted to object. He wanted to fight this heavy handed manner, Loki's assumption that he was going to get it his way. But that new voice in Tony which he had never realised was there, which Loki seemed to be fostering, was desperate to please. Tony glared up at Loki for a second, then willingly opened his mouth to suck the god.

There was a long, guttural moan above him and his heart leapt in perverse pleasure. There's got to be some bragging rights to giving a god a blow job to write home about, right? Not that this one was likely to. Tony couldn't deny how much he was enjoying being the reason for Loki's gasps and whimpers. His tongue played with the veins along the shaft, enjoying inch he could reach.

Above him, Loki was gripping the bedhead tight. He was shaking hard as he clearly fought for control. He could just pound Tony's mouth, but he wasn't. He was letting Tony play.

Tony felt his eyes closing dreamily as it almost became hypnotic. Every part of him was focussed on this one task and he didn't have to think. It was liberating not to think. If only for a little while. The hard length was sliding in and out and Tony opened his throat wider to accept more. Then he was trying to push down, sucking hard. Tony hummed slightly in gratification and Loki threw his head back.

"Again," he growled. Tony complied and Loki shuddered and moaned.

This was heaven, it had to be. Tony couldn't remember a time he had enjoyed anything with such open and honest passion. Okay, he loved Pepper. Loved being with her. Loved having sex with her, of course. But there was always a lurking doubt in his mind that he wasn't… good enough for her.

Oh fuck no, he didn't mean in the bedroom. Tony was a god in the bedroom (and still was the ultimate god in this bedroom, despite whatever his current partner might believe). But Pepper was so… good. Honest. Kind. Wholesome. Tony wasn't.

Loki wasn't. Loki was evil, twisted and probably just having as much fun with Tony as he could before throwing him off the tower. Again. So Tony was finally able just to feel without thought. To give up and give in because in the long run it didn't mean anything.

As Tony began to move his head back and forth, the hypnotic motion of it emptied his head of all thought once more. His hand reached down and began stroking himself gently. He flew in a haze of ecstasy.

"No," Loki choked out. He slapped Tony's hand away. Tony pulled his head off to complain, but was immediately pushed back on, hands tangling harshly in his hair. Handcuffs appeared. _Where the fuck had he been hiding them?_ And bound his hands behind his back. "Concentrate on your duty."

_Duty? No one's ever mention this particular 'duty' to me before. I must have missed that meeting._

Tony wouldn't have been able to guess at how long they spent like that, Tony servicing his god with every fibre of his being and Loki simply allowing it to happen. All he knew is that it ended too soon for his liking. Loki grabbed his head and began pounding to the back of this throat. Tony swallowed this time without prompting. It just seemed right this time.

Loki fell back on the bed and for a moment, just a moment, looked completely at peace. Given that Tony really only knew the crazed side of this guy, the look of tranquillity was odd.

"Well, glad you enjoyed yourself. I, on the other hand, could do with a hand here," Tony said, kneeing the god in his thigh slightly to get his attention.

"Are you ever silent?"

"Not that I can recall. No, wait, that's the answer to 'Do you ever remember?' Hang on. Okay, ask me that again."

"There's a gag in the duffle bag," Loki said, opening his piecing green eyes. "If you're feeling particularly chatty."

Tony decided that a gag was probably a kink too far. "I'm good, thanks."

Loki considered him for a while, leaning up onto his side. His hand reached out and ran a finger down Tony's straining cock. Tony shuddered, keeping his eyes on Loki. Loki smiled dangerously and pulled Tony to his side, their heads now at the foot of the bed. He rolled on top of him kissing him deeply. His pelvis ground against Tony.

Tony let out a whimpering moan at the friction. "Fuck," he grunted.

"It seems clear, boy, that your use of coarse language must be our immediate concern to correct."

Tony opened his eyes and glared at him. "Well gosh darn, Loki, I am so terrible sorry." Tony's head snapped back with the force of the answering blow.

"Now don't be cheeky," Loki breathed against Tony's neck. Maybe it was concussion or intoxication (though Tony couldn't remember having drunk much today) but Loki's breath on his skin just felt so glorious, warm and smooth. Hands beneath him undid his cuffs.

They both paused for a moment, each gathering themselves. Tony leaned up and closed his lips over Loki's shoulder bone. He shuddered in response and Tony smiled and pressed home his advantage. He left wet, sucking kisses all the way up Loki's shoulder, his neck, the sharp line of his jaw, finally taking his mouth with an increasingly desperate urgency.

Loki seemed content to left Tony take the reins for the moment, but he was still on top and still very much holding Tony in his arms in a gentle but controlling grasp. Tony suddenly began to feel strong again. Gone was the mire that he had been sinking into over the last few months. Loki wasn't pushing him away, wasn't forcing him now, and he certainly wasn't pushing Tony away. Blue light was pouring out between them and highlighting every muscle in his partner's body.

Tony pushed a hand between Loki's strong arms, reaching up to rub his fingers against the god's face. It was somehow a more intimate act than anything they had done previously. "This is still not the craziest thing I've ever done," Tony muttered.

"Really? I'm crushed," Loki said with a smirked.

"Probably in the top ten."

"Well, that's going to stop. You're mine now and I don't take kindly to my things being damaged."

Tony reached back and grabbed Loki's black hair. He pulled back and pressed his mouth against Loki's. "I don't belong to you or anyone," he growled.

"Oh my precious boy, I don't expect you to concede immediately. And ruin the game? No. But you will learn. We have a long, long time yet."

Tony wouldn't have admitted it, not in a thousand years, but every word Loki said was melting him completely. The words dripping from that mouth like honey... or poison. Tony had begun to hear it in his dreams.

"Silver tongue," Tony sneered.

Loki smiled in honest delight. "Indeed. And if you behave, one day I may show you."

"How about now?" That earned Tony a smack but he didn't care. Images of Loki taking Tony's cock in his mouth was something to think about.

Loki grasped Tony's length in his hand and watched the playboy squirm with every sign of satisfaction. "My hand stays where it is. You shall do the work if you wish to climax." Loki said firmly.

"Fucking tease," Tony muttered quietly as he began to thrust his hips up, grasping Loki's shoulder for support.

His cock slid in and out of Loki's grasp with exhilarating sensation. Tony couldn't believe how amazing it actually felt. "Oh… yessss," he breathed. This was unexplainably good. This was glorious. "Oh, god, yes."

Tony's other arm came up and pulled Loki's lips down to his mouth. Tongues danced, Loki lazily, Tony with a dark, lust driven ferocity. As the grip around him tightened a fraction, forcing Tony's hips to work harder, Tony had to break from his lips, throwing his head back and choking out, "Oh god, Loki!"

A hot mouth was suddenly sucking at his now exposed neck. "That's right, boy," Loki said softly, his breath against Tony's ear. "You can climax when you need to."

Tony looked into his face as he panted and mewled and saw… there was tenderness there. Okay, so the god was staring down on him like Tony was just a performing animal and Loki was enjoying the show, but at least Tony was _his_ performing animal.

Loki leaned in and locked his mouth over Tony's, pushing his head down until it was against the pillows. Tony's hips were still thrusting hard but his mouth was now completely captured. The god's lips remained sealed over his and didn't let go until after Tony had screamed in his release.

When Tony was finally calm, Loki sighed deeply and pulled away. "Our time, it seems, is always too brief," he muttered.

"What are you implying?" Tony asked thickly, proving that even in depleted exhaustion, he was still a crude bastard. "You hardly held out long."

"Hush boy." Loki pulled the covers over Tony and planted a quick kiss on his forehead. Tony tried to speak again, whether another snide remark, or a plea for Loki to stay he wasn't sure, but Loki had already vanished.

For perhaps the first time since before the Chitauri attack, Tony fell asleep quickly and didn't dream about dying in black and endless space.


	5. Chapter 5: Burned

**A/N My chapters seem to swing wildly from too long to rather short. This is all there is for, but I hope you'll understand why. By the time I got to the end, I realised there was nothing more to be said.**

It was becoming less and less surprising to walk into his suite on the top floor of Stark Tower and find Loki there. Tony almost took it as a matter of course. Today, the god was sitting on the sofa, apparently enjoying the sunset. As Tony threw his jacket on a chair, the god stood.

Tony threw up his hands. "Whoa there cowboy. I've been at the gym. I'm taking a shower."

"Then I will come with you."

"Sounds fun. After the shower."

Tony walked to the bedroom and locked the door. He waited, but nothing happened. He sighed. _Too easy._ There was no way he was going to win this one. He didn't even know why he was bothering to fight it because there was no way he was going to win this one.

But he wouldn't be Tony if he didn't try.

A few minutes later, he was under the warm spray of the shower. And, of course…

"It's _got_ to be rude to warp into a guy's shower," Tony muttered, trying to sound angrier than he was. He glanced over his shoulder. "Are you naked? Height of bad manners."

"Quiet boy and let it happen. You know I will make you feel so… used. And that's what you want, isn't it?" Hands were running over his body possessively.

Tony was tingling, his senses dancing for joy. "Get out of my shower."

"Keep it up boy, and I will."

Tony glared but shut his mouth. It had been a long day and Tony… Tony just wanted to _feel_ for a bit. Was that so terrible? Yes, Loki was an evil deranged villain over whom his team were having almost weekly meetings on. But Tony wasn't used to being told what he could or couldn't have.

Neither was Loki. What happened when two self-obsessed, selfish bastards decide what they want is each other? Surely it was like two negatives ends of a magnet trying to come together.

_Besides, he'll just make you if you say no._

That was a thought worth holding on to. It wasn't like he actually had a choice.

Loki's tongue was exploring every inch of Tony's neck and Tony tipped his head forward to allow the man better access.

"I don't want to have to play the whole… _good boy_ thing," Tony said warningly.

"Tough," Loki breathed in his ear.

"Seriously? Am I ever going to get my way?"

"When you've learnt that 'your way' is to do what I tell you."

Tony rolled his eyes, but relaxed into the arms. There was something so peaceful in the shower, water pouring over them, warming them, their wet skins sliding over each other. For a long time, Loki seemed content just to hold Tony, lips dancing over what skin he could reach.

Tony was almost half asleep when he saw Loki reaching out and increasing the temperature of the shower. It was just the wrong side of too hot. Tony hissed and tried to move back away, but Loki held him there.

"You trying to burn me?" Tony snapped. He had to be careful how he stood – way too hot water was hitting very sensitive areas.

"Trust me, my darling boy, you will soon plead for heat." Loki said and that dangerous tone was back.

"What- oh, fucking hell," Tony yelped. Where the fuck had Loki found ice? His front was burning but his back was freezing. His teeth chattered from the cold while the delicate skin being hit by the hot water burned. It was a strange sensation.

Loki quickly pulled his arms up and out, attaching them to the shower door and rail. Tony could shift toward into the burning heat or back into the freezing cold. It was then he saw the blue arm…

"Loki…" Tony breathed, trying to turn around, but an ice cold hand forced his head back to face front.

"No. You will not," Loki said warningly. A blind fold was pulled over his eyes and a gag was pushed between his lips and tightened.

"N-agh," Tony objected. He really hadn't wanted to start exploring the world of gags, but it wasn't as though he ever really got a say in this.

"Comfortable?" Loki asked in mocking tones.

Tony made his complaints, the sound muffled and distorted around the rubber ball in his mouth. It made him feel even more vulnerable than he could ever have imagined. Steve Rogers had a shield. The only shield Tony had was his wit.

Loki stepped back momentarily, examining his work. Finding it most pleasing, he moved back against Tony and noted with delight his boy's flinching shudder. "Now then… we play."

Tony was almost driven insane in that shower, he was sure. He was being burnt and frozen to death and his traitorous body was screaming out for more. Cold dominated his back. Heat his front. Loki would reach around and wrap the cold hand around his cock and fondle him for a while, bringing him teasingly close then stopping. The sensations were both agonising and amazing. Tony fought the bonds to escape, tried to fall to his knees away from the hands or twist his hips away.

When his struggles became too violent, Loki would push an ice cold finger into his ass and Tony would scream again. Eventually, he learnt to stay still and take what Loki was giving him. His body was shaking hard and not just from the cold, but from the strain of standing still and accepting his powerlessness. Knowing he could do nothing.

Perhaps it was the loss of his voice, or the blindness, but his usual, cocky strength failed him that day and tears were pouring down his face.

Not tears of misery, or pain…

"Is my boy enjoying himself?" Loki asked.

Tony nodded viciously, his chest wracking itself with sobs.

"Does my boy need to stop?"

Tony shook his head hard. _Oh god please no. Don't stop! Don't stop or I'll fall apart._

Freezing lips pressed against Tony's warm neck and he groaned and leaned into them. "My beautiful boy. I'd like you to cum, hard, while I fuck you in this form. Do you think you will? It's going to be very, very cold. And the water on your nipples and cock is going to be very, very hot."

_Oh my god, just call me boy again and I think I'll come. Tell me how beautiful I am and how much you want me and I'll come. Use me Loki please. I'll come for you, I will. Just never, ever leave me._

Tony whimpered into his gag. He didn't know whether he was glad to be wearing it or not. The words screaming out of his soul were so wanton, so, so _not like Tony Stark_ that had he said them out loud, now, to this man… he'd probably have never been able to forgive himself. Because each and every syllable was true.

_Please, my god Loki, I want to be yours and used._

"It matters not what you want. Do you understand that, boy? I am going to take you, now. And you will remain still while I do so."

_Probably not. I'm going to buck and scream and probably pass out. _

A long, ice shaft pushed in-between his ass and drove home without any foreplay. Tony did scream, throwing his body forward, hitting the burning heat and throwing himself back again.

_The cunning, twisted bastard._

There was only so long Tony could spend in any state. He forced his body into the burning heat, desperate to get away from the cold, couldn't stand the pain of the water hitting him and threw his body back, only seconds later to remember why the freezing cold was perhaps more painful. And, overriding all this pain were the sensation of an ice cold cock working in and out of him and the vague approving chuckles of his god.

The cold was so cold, but the natural heat of sex was filling him, driving him to move despite the extremes in temperature. Tony was doing the work for Loki and the god simply let his little mortal dance in beautiful agony.

Lust overrode intelligence and pain battled against pleasure and Tony knew that no matter what happened to him, here and now, he just couldn't stop. He couldn't stop now until he came.

"That's it boy. Accept that all you are is a toy, _my_ _toy_ and you will learn to feel so much pleasure from being owned."

Tony nodded hard, working his body up and down on the hard cock. The pain was adding to the experience, but was slowly morphing into pleasure. The pain wasn't pain anymore, it was… domination.

"A little faster, boy."

Tony obeyed without thinking. He was huffing hard through his nose, his hips and back aching as he fought to keep the pace Loki required of him. Tears were unending, the groans and whimpers were unrelenting. He was so, so happy to be wanted, finally.

_Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes..._

Loki suddenly grabbed his hips and began pounding hard. "We are going to climax together, boy," Loki hissed. A cold hand reached around and began pumping Tony.

All intelligent thought was gone. No more jokes, or snide remarks, or pondering on what was becoming of his life. There was only one pervading scream in his head. Loki had to let him cum, now, or he was going to die. He knew he had never been so sure of anything before.

A hand fumbled at this mouth, pulling the ball gag out and a wailing, which Tony would never have recognised as his own, filled the small space of the shower. An ice hold hand buried its fingers in his hair, yanking his head back against a cold chest.

"Cum now boy," Loki hissed in his ear. "I said, now!"

As Tony climaxed, he felt ice pouring deep inside of him, shattering him, making him feel hotter and colder than he had ever done before.

Loki sighed loudly, his hand reaching out and turning off the water. The cold behind Tony was gone. Loki pulled out of Tony's wonderfully sore ass and he kissed him gently on the neck. "We must do that again, boy."

"Yes... please..." Tony whimpered.

**A/N One shot sex scenes, as fun as they are, can't last. For those of you who were waiting for plot, that starts in the next chapter! For those of you hoping for more sex, next chapter! There's a balance to be found and that's the goal.**

**Word of warning, my knowledge of the Marvel universe is limited. So while I don't own any of the characters (damn you Marvel and Joss Whedon!) there's going to be a fair amount of my own story telling which will probably not be canon. **


	6. Chapter 6: Kneel

What were his Wednesday mornings like before the Avengers? Tony tried to remember as he dodged a falling lump of masonry. The problem with so many of his memories – Tony fired a rocket quickly, taking out a soldier aiming some sort of grenade launcher at him – is that they were made fuzzy by drink. But he'd probably be in the lab, building something. Maybe redesigning that thermo-value he could never get right.

Now, he was flying around Shanghai helping to put down a band of apparent mercenaries who seemed to have weapons far beyond what they should. And Tony knew his weaponry. This was not your common garden variety missile flying at him. It had been altered. Tony rocketed up as fast as he could and the missile followed.

"Sir, it seems to have a track on us," Jarvis said.

"Really?" Tony asked as he zigzagged through the glittering streets of Shanghai.

Around him, the city was in chaos, but here and there he could see his team mates directing the citizens away from danger, and keeping back the advancing wave of black clad mercenaries, who almost certainly had a name like Black Hand, Black Forest or Aunt Hillary's Gang of Wide Boys, or something.

"Deploy countermeasures," Tony commanded.

Tiny tubes emitting heat, radio frequency and anything else the little bugger could be attracted to flew out of Tony's suit as he took a violent turn away from the incoming path.

The missile flew straight through them.

"Countermeasures have been ineffective," Jarvis opined.

Tony sighed. "Jarvis, didn't you and I have a little talk not long ago about narrating the obvious?"

"I thought it was worth pointing out, Sir," Jarvis replied.

Tony saw a lump of masonry apparently flying through the air of its own accord. It landed on a truck used by the enemy, flattening anything or anyone left inside. Tony headed to the area where rubble was being launched and wasn't surprised to find The Other Guy having a whale of a time.

"Hulk man, little help?" Tony called as he hurtled past.

The Hulk turned, grabbed the missile out of the air and threw it towards a group of mercenaries. Tony smiled as he watched the explosion and returned to fight the good fight. He soared through skyscrapers, gliding past the forests of glass at a fair speed, though you never wanted too fast when flying this low.

"Tony, it's Loki!"

The sentence was almost enough to make him drop out of the sky. "What?"

"On top of the Jin Mao Tower, Loki," Natasha repeated. "Get over there!"

Tony did a fast about turn and followed the map that Jarvis had just pulled up. He swallowed, "What's Reindeer Games up to?"

"Family reunion with Thor," Hawkeye said wryly. "And Thor's got him on the ropes. Just."

Tony finally spotted them, a whirl of red and gold and green. Hawkeye was right; Thor was just keeping Loki down. Only just. But the conjurer was still fighting back hard.

"What is it with you two and fighting on the tops of high buildings? Did your mother never teach you two anything?" Tony called out. He raised his gauntlets, aiming at Loki and… hesitated. For a second. Two seconds. Maybe three. Then he shook his head and fired.

The rockets spiralled out and hit Loki, just as an uppercut from Loki's staff knocked Thor to the ground. Mjolnir flew out of his hand and off the side of the building.

"Heads up, Mjolnir coming down hard!" Tony called to the ground. He knew that hammer and what it could do. Better give anyone down their warning unless they wanted to become a human nail.

Loki staggered upright and looked up. It was a blow to Tony's pride that Loki seemed barely scratched.

He looked up and smiled. "Man of Iron. So glad you could join us."

"Drop the glow stick, Reindeer Games," Tony said, taking aim again.

A blot of blue flew up at Tony. He barely avoided it. The second one didn't miss. Tony's thrusters shorted and he almost fell from the sky. Halfway to the ground, Tony spotted Majolnir flying up past him as Jarvis restarted his systems just in time.

"Jarvis, you and I just got beaten by a hammer," Tony growled, and flew straight at Loki. Thor, Mjolnir now in hand once more, was aiming a blow at Loki's head.

Suddenly there were dozens of the smirking bastards. Great. As though one wasn't trouble enough.

Tony continued his course, but flew straight through the figure.

"Damn," he snapped as wall of glass came into view. The Shanghai World Financial Centre. "Erm, up. Up now," Tony said, his voice cracking slightly with alarm.

A split second before he collided with the building, his suit finally worked up the power it needed for Tony to pull up hard. As he rocketed up into the sky at a tremendous speed he added, "That was way too slow. We're going to need to fix that."

"It's been put on your to-do list, Sir," came Jarvis' calming drawl.

"That went on the list fast."

"Yes Sir. Remember, I'm in here too."

Tony laughed softly. He turned lazily in mid-air, swooping back down again. He wasn't surprised to find the battle was over. "What's happening guys?"

Steve's voice came over his comm, "Well, you went for one, Thor went for one and Barton managed to get a shot off."

"And?"

"No contact. Now he's disappeared."

"Slippery bastard," Hawkeye said dismally. Tony spotted him on the rooftop of a nearby building.

"The mercenaries on the ground are retreating," Natasha reported.

"All clear on the east side, Natasha," Steve responded. "But could do with a hand, we've got a lot of panicking civilians over here."

"Are you saying the Hulk isn't enough to reassure them?" Natasha said and there was a hint of sarcasm in her tone.

"Hey, you want a lift down Legolas, or are you going to do that cool zip wire thing?" Tony called.

Barton agreed and Tony grabbed his arm on the way past. Thor was winding up his hammer and taking aim. Once again, he and the stupid hammer flew past Tony and landed before him.

"Why can't you do that?" Hawkeye asked with a grin as Tony prepared to set them down.

"You want me to drop you?" he snapped back.

Tony had built the coolest suit in the world, and an oaf in Viking costume with a big hammer had outdone him.

_It's high school all over again_.

Once they were all on the ground, the Hulk kicking the debris aside (you know, _debris_, like fire trucks and lampposts) Steve summarized. "Okay. So he turns up out of nowhere, with an army of mercenaries, comes to this city, we don't know why, attacks apparently random targets and civilians, and then disappears without apparently having gained anything from it."

There was a pause. Tony pulled his visor up and slow hand clapped. "Fantastic. That clears that up."

Steve turned on him hotly. "Well then, you explain it!"

"Oh no, I couldn't add to a masterpiece like that."

"Guys, this isn't helping," Natasha said, putting herself in between the two. "This was so pointless that all it did was to get us all here."

"He's distracting us," Barton said.

"From what?" Thor asked. Of everyone, he looked the most battered and bruised, both in body and pride. Tony almost felt sorry for the guy.

_Except your lunatic brother, who you assured us was locked away forever, now seems intent on making inconvenient booty calls. And I'm not prepared to tell you to save your stupid feelings and because I don't know yet if I want them to stop..._

Tony shook himself back to reality. "What?"

"Tony, we're all strung out," Natasha said, almost kindly in that mono-toned drone. It was almost as though she spent her life speaking to a dangerous animal. Tony idly wondered if she spoke to Barton like that in the bedroom. "Barton and I will go back to HQ and see what's exploded. If we get anything, we'll call. Go back and relax for a bit."

_Relax? Really?_

Tony was flying through the skies towards Stark Tower. It was difficult to relax when you'd just fired a load of ammunition at a god and not even managed to scratch him, let alone kill him. A god, moreover, who was inclined to take his revenge in a more personal fashion than just lighting him up with a staff.

But they had never talked about what would happen if they met in the real world. And Loki had attacked him!

Tony rolled his eyes. Here he was, trying to think up excuses like he was being sent to the Principal's Office. He was Tony Stark, in the suit, Tony Stark the Iron Man and he did not need an excuse for attacking Reindeer Games!

And what was he talking about; the 'real world' like the time he spent with Loki was some sort of dream.

_This is doing my head in._

The anxiety was not helped when he landed on the platform, mechanical arms removing his armour piece by piece, to see Loki standing in his flat. There was something about that moment. Here was Tony Stark, walking towards Loki unhesitatingly as he was slowly stripped of everything that made him a hero until he was reduced to just _the boy_.

_Someone should write a song._

When he finally got inside, Loki was at the fridge, glancing at the contents sceptically.

"Somehow, I've never pictured you eating," Tony said thoughtfully.

"Did you think I simply gained sustenance from the sun?"

Tony felt slightly relieved. Only slightly. Generally when Loki shot down any attempts at talking, that was the time to worry. But every now and again, even the god liked banter. "Or maybe you - have you seen V? The 1983 miniseries, not the new one, that was crap. That guy and woman with the rats? Like that."

"I am not familiar with it."

"Oh it's great. We'll rent it, watch it in our pyjamas and talk about our feelings."

Loki smiled his teeth white and perfect. "Perhaps not."

"Perhaps not. But the pillow fight's a must." Tony paused as silence descended. But silence and Tony were not great friends. "Well. This is awkward."

Loki cocked his head questioningly.

"You. Me. The whole... trying to kill each other."

"Kill you? Death by sex, I assume. I assure you, Tony; I treat you with a surprising amount of gentleness. Alarmingly. Believe me; you'll know when I choose to be rough with you." Loki sighed. "If you are speaking about the battle-"

"Would you call it a battle? Didn't really last long enough to be a battle. Maybe a skirmish. How about a set-to?"

"I have no interest in the icon, or the industrialist. Just you, boy."

Tony's response died in his throat. So this was what it was like to be looked at like... Tony stalked the bars and played the game for years before Pepper and he had looked at so many women like this. Very few times in his life had he himself had been looked at so _predatorily_.

"You really are convinced you're just a smooth talking bastard, aren't you?" Tony asked, trying to sound offended.

Loki didn't reply. He was pacing slowly forward, stalking forward like a cat. That's what he was. He'd grab Tony, hold him down, play with him, then release him, both knowing that Loki would be on him again whenever he pleased. There was nowhere Tony could go.

_You're getting almost constant sex with a god. Where the hell would you want to go, Tony?_

"Your brother got a good whack in there, I noticed," Tony said.

Loki's face at first so hungry, so all consuming, suddenly flickered. "He is not my brother. You would do well to remember that."

"Yeah, obviously. Because he's so shiny and good natured and heroic. You know, not to sound like a girl or anything. Essentially very well bred. Son of a King and all."

"As am I."

"But didn't you just say-"

"Don't push me, boy."

Why was he pushing him, Tony wondered? Why did he want to make him angry? Tony rolled his eyes internally. Why did he jump into that car at Circuit de Monaco? Why wasn't he dead a thousand times over?

"Do you know a guy called Freud? He had a theory that all men want to kill their fathers and marry their mothers. Now, I'm not saying-"

Tony's body was slammed against a wall. Loki's forearm was pressed against Tony's throat and already his head was swimming. "Are you so desperate for pain, boy? That you would dare challenge me?"

Loki threw him across the room (something that was becoming real old, in Tony's frank opinion). Tony's back hit the door the bedroom and he fell into the room.

"Nice aim," he muttered. He managed to pick himself up before Loki got to him again.

"No," Loki said. "I prefer you on your knees."

That was a moment that caught Tony short. He stared at Loki, as though seeing him for the first time. Tony crossed the room quickly and dropped to his knees. It was automatic, but not routine. Before conscious thought had caught up with him, Loki's shaft was slipping into his mouth and Tony was bobbing up and down with giddy abandon.

A blindfold was wrapped around his eyes. There was a pause and Loki said "I was going to handcuff you… but perhaps… if you feel ready to obey without question tonight, I could be encouraged to leave your hands free."

Tony hummed and the god shuddered hard, his cock twitching in Tony's mouth. Tony felt himself smile around the long member.

"Disobey once, and you will be restrained." Loki pulled out and made Tony stand. "Hands on your head."

Hands on your head? Everything the man said was geared towards making Tony feel like a child again. As powerless and vulnerable as a child.

_Fucker._

He stood like that for some time. The longer the wait was the more likely, both knew, that Tony would disobey. And there was the new challenge, Tony supposed. Maybe his sense of defiance was becoming warped, but the more he knew that Loki was _hoping_ he'd disobey, the more Tony _wanted_ to confound that.

Took the idea of petulance to a whole new level.

Loki chuckled. "You win, boy. Face down on the bed, arms by your side."

_I win! _Wait, was that a good thing?

Tony carefully felt his way, the blindfold blocked out everything to such a degree, despite being some fine fabric, he suspected it must be something Asgardian – a race that had mastered travel between universes, but didn't have a computer. Not even an Amstrad.

Once Tony was in the desired position, he felt a hand on his leg, indicating to him to remain still. His hips were pulled up with disturbing strength and a pillow was pushed under his legs. It wasn't one of the bed pillows either, but one of the fabric ones from the sofa in the living room. It rubbed invitingly against Tony's cock and he sucked in a breath in with a shudder.

There was a long, drawn out pause, and then what felt like some sort of flog struck his back. Tony hissed through his teeth but said nothing.

"That's it, Tony. Accept what I give you. Be a good boy and reward will follow."

It came down again and Tony had to suppress a yelp that time. It was getting worse. Every strike inflamed the tissue in his back, which began to object violently to the continued thrashing. And, how the hell was this possible for him, Tony Stark? He could feel himself growing harder the longer the beating went on for.

All too soon, his hips were undulating, squirming, bucking into the pillow beneath him. The fabric was rubbing against all the nerve ending in his cock and his eyes were crossing no matter how hard he tried to ignore the sensations.

"Did I tell you to move?" Loki snapped angrily.

"No," Tony muttered, slightly ashamed.

"No, what?"

"No, god."

"Then you will be punished. You will not now be allowed to climax until the end of our evening. Is that understood."

_There is no way in Midgard or Asgard or Oz that I'm going to be able to hold out._

"Yes god."

Loki beatings continued and Tony was now bleating with every strike. His hips were grinding again but this time Loki made no comment apart from the occasional reproving remarks that Tony's bucking was making him miss.

Loki was going to let him. Loki was going to let him cum then devise something worse. Tony forced himself to stay still, but it was too much. As Loki's beating reached a new pitch, Tony's self-control finally gave way and he howled and squirmed against the pillow, cumming without ending.

The scene finally stopped and both were left panting and a little dazed. Loki seemed to have enjoyed watching as much as Tony had feeling. The man was suddenly over Tony's back, knees pressing down on his arms keeping him still. A hand pulled Tony's head up by the hair.

"I gave you an instruction, boy, which you wilfully disobeyed."

"Yeah and you wanted me to." Tony snapped.

Loki pressed his fingers down on a newly formed bruise on his shoulder and Tony bit his lip to silence any sound. "If I had wanted you to cum, boy, I would have asked."

"Fuck you."

"You will now be restrained."

"Big surprise."


	7. Chapter 7: Captured

Loki sat on Tony's back, holding him still and waved a hand. Chains appeared from nowhere, snaking out with minds of their own across the bed. The cuffs opened like mouths and grabbed his wrists. He felt them on his ankles too. He was pulled out and tied down spread eagle on the bed.

"Much better," Loki sighed, patting Tony's head.

"Oh yeah. Brilliant." Tony spat. His back was still in pain from the beating and having Loki perched up there was agonising.

"Now I have captured my little boy, what terrible things can I do to him?"

"You could-"

"I wasn't looking for suggestions, boy. I was expounding."

Loki shifted and Tony whimpered as a cock pushed into him. His hips were still raised from the pillow and Loki slid in like the universe had designed them from the beginning to interlock so marvellously. Tony heard the guttural gurgle in his own throat as Loki came to rest, his balls pressing against Tony.

"You feel so amazing," Tony murmured. "I think I'm hard again. Fuck me like you did in the shower."

"The point of the shower was the hot water maintained your body temperature. And I held back. Otherwise, I could have killed you. Even Asgardians burn on contact with Jotun skin."

Tony frowned, shifting his body carefully and whimpering as Loki's cock inexplicably deepened. "Well, I didn't burn."

Tony heard the bitter scoff behind him. "I am but the runt of my people. That's why I was left to die."

"Left to die?"

"Hush boy. Such thoughts are pointless, irrelevant and not conducive to an orgasm. That is what you want, isn't it?"

"I want you."

"You have me."

"All of you."

Loki stroked Tony's hair, lifted his pelvis slightly and slammed down hard into the mortal below. Tony screamed. It was more pain than pleasure and his body shook hard.

"You might regret the sentiment."

"No," Tony choked. "Do it again."

Loki slammed into Tony again. Tony bit back the scream but the howl came unbidden. This was power, force and Tony finally realised how much Loki had to have been holding back before now.

"Oh fuck..." Tony whimpered as images streamed in front of his mind's eye. So much about his time with Loki wasn't purely the sex but also the promise of sex to come.

Loki slammed down harder and paused while Tony howled. "Language."

Tony forced himself not to use words; they only seemed to get him into trouble. Instead, he whimpered and yowled loudly as Loki set a punishing pace. Despite the pain, Tony knew he was getting hard. Twice in half an hour - it was like he was back in college.

But the uncaring, viciousness of the pounding was painful and while he didn't want it to end, he could feel the pain growing. The muscles back there were screaming from the bad treatment, as much as the rest of his body begged for it to continue. He held out for as long as he could, biting down hard on the sheets in front of him. Just at the point he was about to break and beg Loki to stop, the god stopped.

Tony bit back his urge to thank him. Loki sighed and sat up. He slipped out and Tony whined softly.

"Shh, I am not finished."

His boy relaxed, closing his eyes and waiting. Soon, Loki was pushing back in again. He had added more lubricant, gliding in and out calmly now. Tony's body responded so naturally, raising his hips to meet the thrusts, tightening every muscle, trying to keep that rod inside of him for as long as possible.

"You respond superbly," Loki murmured.

Tony grunted in response.

"Does it concern you how easily you've fallen into my power?" Loki purred smugly.

"Killing the mood, dude."

"You're my little slut, Tony. Don't deny it. Embrace it."

Tony was pulled out of his haze by the anger growing inside of him. "Fuck you. Do you have to do the crazy villain rant right now? Fuck you!"

Loki's pace quickened slightly as he ran his fingers almost lovingly through Tony's hair, and suddenly wrenched his head back. Tony could hear the gods panting in his ear as the hot breath on his neck made him shiver.

"You think what you want is power and control. But you don't. You want the freedom to be happy and the only way you'll get that is by giving up everything to me. Do you understand you little whore? You will always be expected to do the right thing to please the world now you're the hero. But here, now, under me, impaled on my cock, all you have to do is cum on command. How gloriously simple your life is now, boy."

Loki's strong hand rubbed over his lips and part of Tony cringed as the god smirked, his fingers glistening from the drool on Tony's chin. It was impossible; Tony's body was nothing but a biological machine responding to Loki's inputs. He whimpered when Loki licked here, whined when Loki pushed there, his nipples hardened at Loki's look, he drooled at very thrust, he flailed around and bucked like an animal when Loki hit that spot. He couldn't control himself. He was Loki's toy. Tony felt his cock twitch hard at the thought. It felt so good. Too good to ignore.

"I am your toy," he whispered out loud and felt the throbbing increasing. He squirmed against the pillow, raising his ass again and again to Loki's thrusts.

Loki was thrusting hard now and Tony felt that familiar near sightedness taking over as his climax rushed towards him.

"Now beg me to cum."

Tony as close as hell, but he was angry. Angry at the situation, angry with Loki, angry that the son of a bitch was right. Tony was going to cum, he knew, so close now, but he'd rather die than beg.

"No."

"You think you can cum without permission?"

_I think I am that fucking close the question is really; will I be able to stop?_

Whatever punishment he got for cumming without permission would be worth it not to have to dance to Loki's tune.

So early in the pair's liaison, Tony still believed that stupid ideas like that were true.

Loki would train him to believe otherwise.

Loki's hand pulled out the pillow beneath them with some force and his fingers darted out quickly to grasp Tony's member. All the while, Loki barely paused driving into Tony's bound body.

"You don't cum unless I want you to," he hissed in Tony's ear.

Fingers tightened. Tony yelled. Loki held him in a vice like grip at the base of his balls; simple biology dictated that his orgasm was now well out of reach. It was agonisingly painful. Tony's hips were pushing back, trying to escape the grip and Loki choked out in delight as it only increased the penetration.

"Ha! Now there's the eagerness I was searching for," Loki gasped. He rode Tony hard as the boy squirmed and bucked to get Loki off. "That's it, fight me! Try to escape! Only when you realise you're helpless to stop me will you ever learn."

Tony was learning fast. The chains were immovable; Loki's lust at this point was unstoppable. Tony wasn't going to get relief until Loki came or he begged. And Loki was a god with an amazing stamina.

He held out as long as he could. But sweat was pouring from his body, his balls were aching, throbbing and excruciatingly painful and a mangled whining was pouring from his mouth. Loki wasn't stopping and wasn't slowing. He was living in Tony's agony, kissing, licking and biting the bruises he had caused on Tony's back.

"Such a brave little boy to fight for so long. I'm impressed. Let's see if you can last the hour."

Tony shook his head, fighting, struggling, sobbing. Loki had to cum soon! He had too. Then he would stop and Tony could finally have a moment to pull what was left of his mind back together.

"Good boy. Such a good boy. Push back harder, that's right. Make me cum and I may show mercy."

Tony obeyed blindly. He'd to anything to make Loki cum so this would end. Tip his hips up? Fine. Push his chest up so Loki could play with a nipple? Okay. Call him a god? Of course. Loki spent some time making demands on his boy, smiling cruelly as Tony obeyed each and every one.

Tony howled in misery when Loki's pace slowed slightly. "I'm a little too close. And there are so many things I want you to do still. Maybe I'll get you to bark like a dog." Loki explained conversationally.

The revelation shattered Tony. "Please cum," Tony whimpered.

"I told you boy. I won't cum until you have begged for your release."

"But then you said-"

"I lied. It's what I do."

Tony had obeyed every instruction to get Loki to cum and end this. Why was begging for his own release so humiliating? Every part of Tony's body was aching. His entire frame was shaking. His tongue was practically lolling out of his mouth.

Loki licked Tony's ear in long strokes. "You know I almost feel sorry for you? But I shan't feel guilty, for you do this to yourself, boy. You could have cum so exquisitely long before now. Yet you cling to your illusion that your pride and freedom are worth so much more. They're not. Accept that you are my boy and my toy and my own personal whore and you will be so much more _satisfied_."

Tony shuddered. How did he make that word sound so dirty?

"Beg."

"I-" Tony shook his head. "I-" He buried his head in the bed, gasping hard and shaking his head. "Please. Please, please, please."

"Please what?"

"Please my god."

"Please my god what?"

"I swear, one day, I'm going to kill you, you sorry son of a bitch!" Tony shouted.

Loki's hips moved fast and his grip on Tony's balls began to pull them away from Tony's body. Not violently, but the slight movement spun Tony's world into even more pain.

"You know what else I have in my bag? It's a leather strip which wraps around the scrotum of disobedient little boys and when pulled tight enough does what I'm doing here. It'll hold back your orgasm completely, even if I spend hours sucking your pretty little cock. If I summon it to me now, tie you up tight, I can finish my orgasm and leave like this for hours and hours."

Tony's eyes widened as his mind processed this. Tony couldn't stand another minute of his pain.

"Now, do you have anything you'd like to say to me?"

Tony swallowed. "Please let me cum."

"I said beg."

"I'm begging you, please, please please! Please let me cum, my god please. I'm begging, I'm begging!"

Loki listened with a critical ear and asked for further elaboration. Occasionally he'd ask for more, ask him to include certain words like boy, toy, pleasure and worship. Tony could barely believe the words of filthy lust streaming unendingly from his mouth. Loki was the poet in bed. Tony wasn't. But through Loki's cajoling, Tony was voicing his need in a way he had never done before with any partner. He was panting, mewling, begging for exactly what he wanted, how he wanted it, how hard and dirty he wanted it.

His god sighed in a dreamy way when Tony finally stopped his voice hoarse and exhausted. "That's my boy," he whispered, kissing Tony's cheek delicately. "I knew there was the heart of a true wanton little slut in there. And you're all mine, aren't you?"

"Yes, yes, I'm yours. All yours."

"Do you want to cum first, or last?"

"Whatever you want," Tony whined, thoroughly beaten.

"Cum first and you will be punished. Don't cum before I do, and I may not allow you at all."

Tony felt more tears beginning as he threw his head back. _What kind of fucking choice is that?! _"I hate you."

"I know, but isn't it such fun?"

Tony's primal scream echoed in the bedroom as he came hard. He felt the stream over his chest but he couldn't stop the bucking. Loki came quickly after that, grabbing Tony's hips and pounding him with little control.

Of course, as was the way of their couplings, Tony found himself waking from a coma a few hours later. Loki wasn't anywhere to be seen. His body was aching horribly and he pulled himself into the shower.

He spent almost an hour under the hot spray, cleaning himself up and pulling himself back together.

Thoughts were coming slow and sluggishly. Foremost in his thoughts was _what a fucking asshole_. If Tony ever saw him again in 'real life' he was putting a missile between his eyes. On the heels of that thought was how amazing that had been. He'd never felt so complete before in his life.

_I need this so much._

Tony shook his head dismally. There didn't seem to be anything Loki could do to him to stop Tony from worshiping every second they spent together.

He shut off the water, pulled on a bathrobe and hobbled back into the bedroom. His stomach dropped as his heart flew. Loki was sitting on the bed.

"Quite recovered? Good. I believe we agreed that a punishment would be forth coming if you climaxed before I did."

Tony stared, his mouth open, swaying uncontrollably. "Loki… I can barely stand."

"Clearly. Fortunately what I have in mind does not require you to."

"I can't do this now."

"Would you rather I left?"

Tony didn't answer that. He couldn't.

Loki smiled gently. "Relax, my darling boy. It will not be beyond your capabilities."

"You _made_ me cum first. I couldn't possibly have held out."

"Yes."

"You're punishing me for something I couldn't help."

"Yes."

"Why are you doing this to me?"

Loki rested his head on his shoulder in the most innocent, youngest expression Tony had ever seen on him. Or anyone, in fact. Suddenly, Loki was just a young man speaking with his lover. "Because you enjoy it. You want it so much. And if I didn't deliver on this punishment, I think you would be disappointed. Wouldn't you?"

Again, it was not a question Tony could answer without destroying what little of his pride he had managed to find and stick back together in the shower.

"Why don't you come here and kiss me?"

Tony blinked hard, wondering if he was still in a dream. He stumbled over and sat heavily on the bed next to Loki. "This is fucking insane. You're fucking insane."

"Kiss me, Tony."

"And what, you take the opportunity to-"

"Tony," Loki purred. Tony felt his body melting at the sound. "I want to feel those lips."

Tony leaned up and in. Loki's demure behaviour was building Tony up again. Giving him a little strength back. He pressed his lips against Loki's thin ones, working them gently. He decided to be bold, and pushed his tongue out. Loki accepted it into his mouth smoothly, sucking on it softly.

His hand was gliding under Tony's robe. When it found his cock he stroked gently. Tony pulled back with a hiss, only to find Loki's hand and the back of his head, holding him against his lips.

"I'm too sore for this," Tony protested.

"Shh. Kiss me."

Tony returned the kiss. It was lazy, easy, comforting. He pushed up a little harder, grabbing Loki's shoulder and pulling him closer. The hand at his length was soft and gentle. He felt the blood beginning to rush down. He was getting hard again.

"How the hell do you do this to me?" he muttered angrily.

When he continued the kiss, it was with a deeper, urgent passion. Loki was nipping at his tongue now, claiming his dominance over the kiss. The minute Tony was fully erect, Loki pulled away.

"Take off your robe. Lie back."

Tony sighed and obeyed. "What do I have to do?"

"Something I'm sure you will find very difficult. I want you to lie still without another word for as long as I please."

"That's it?"

Loki rolled his eyes. "An impossible task, clearly."

Tony gritted his teeth and stared up at the ceiling. And it that did seem to be that. Occasionally, Loki would stroke him, pet him, play gently with his cock. He spent a long time whispering sweet nothings to him, stoking his hair lovingly. Tony was beautiful, he was sexy, he moved alluringly, his eyes were enthralling… the poetry falling from Loki's handsome lips was enough to send Tony into a spiral of lust.

Every muscle in his body shook with the effort of not moving. The instruction was so stupidly simple, but the psychological effort for Tony just to lie still was very stressful. It was forcing him to be passive, and Tony Stark didn't do passive.

And Loki's words were so… Tony wanted him to shut up. To piss off. Not to sit there and pretend he thought that any of this was true. This was the punishment. To lie here and listen to Loki pretend he cared like this for Tony.

But if he called stop, if he got up and locked himself in the bathroom then Loki would know he'd gotten to Tony. And Tony would rather die.

"An hour. Very impressive my boy. I always knew you had the capacity to learn."

"That had to be the most boring sixty minutes of my life," Tony snapped sitting up and swinging his legs over the side of the bed. He hoped Loki couldn't read that lie printed all over his face. "Is that really it? And you've always been so creative up until now."

Loki smiled. "We haven't even begun, my pet. But too much too soon and I worry I'll break you. Now, let's see what we can do about this."

Loki grabbed Tony's erection. Tony bit back a whimper. "Look at me, boy. Look into my eyes. I want to watch every thought that rolls across your face."

Tony, perched on the edge of the bed, grasping the side desperately to stop himself falling off, gasped and grunted as Loki jerked him off. He kept his eyes fixed on the emerald green ones in front of him. It was quick and soft, Tony shuddered hard and relaxed back panting.

"That's enough for tonight, I think."


	8. Chapter 8: Louder

**A/N: I have been getting some really lovely reviews so I wanted to take a quick moment to thank absolutely everyone who has reviewed or favourited (that's soo not a real word) the story. You guys are simply wonderful! I hope you're enjoying the story as much as I'm enjoying writing it!**

Tony slammed the door and closed his eyes, resting his head on the metal door, trying to loosen the knot of muscles between his shoulders. Fucking Fury, fucking Steve, fucking Avengers. Without an immediate crisis on the horizon, this was beginning to feel like work and Tony didn't do work. He'd never had to work for anything in his life before; it had all been one long drunken joy ride. His natural talent, money and charm making everything just that little bit easier to achieve.

Now he had _responsibilities_.

He felt himself shudder.

The tabloids were watching his every move now. When he was the drunk and the Iron Man he was a joke. Now he's part of a team – a team commanded by everyone's hero Captain America, suddenly it wasn't so funny having an out of control playboy on the team. They were obsessing over his every move and Tony's little joy ride in his suit under the Golden Gate Bridge yesterday apparently hadn't been decorous. _Fuckers_.

Being stuck on the Helicarrier did nothing for Tony's mood. Training, meetings and a ticking off. Why the fuck would he want to be here? And he objected to the way his booze was confiscated by the khaki wearers on arrival. He objected to the constant suggestions that he was now meant to be some sort of team player. He objected to Steve's stupid face and his inability to work an iPhone. Or anything with electricity. And he objected to that mono-eyed bastard's demands on him.

He objected to the whole thing in general, on principle and every other way that you could object. There was no crisis, no danger, no thrill. It was boring, routine and horribly, horribly _worthy_.

He ran his hands over his face. A few hours of training, sometime in the lab, meetings, briefings and he was done with the Iron Man for another month. Unless – and please let it happen soon - there was a global crisis which called for a band of lycra wearing misfits.

Then Tony would return to his usual life; days in his workshop, meetings and briefings at Stark Industries. How very _sensible_ and uncontroversial, because now he was the Iron Man, drunk fuelled playboy parties with girls, drugs and rock and roll were off the books.

_Fuck._

Even the rare parties felt like a chore now - they weren't _off the wall_. They were very much on the wall. Or whatever. They were almost sanitized fun. They were there to keep the Tony Stark image alive. You see, Steve Rogers was good and wholesome America, drinking milkshakes and throwing the ball around on a Saturday in the park. Tony was new America, fast cars, women, money. Between them, the nation felt like America's interests were taken care of in the hands of the Avengers. It gave them confidence. It might have been a different matter if Natasha's Russian roots were brought to light as well as the revelation that Thor was in fact an Alien. Tony had... _responsibilities_.

_Double fuck._

The only thing he had which was just his, just Tony's, were his nights with Loki. Nights were he didn't have to be a hero or an industrial icon. No, all he had to do was obey simple commands and cum so hard he passed out. Seemed like a pretty good deal from where he was standing.

_Loki…_

As though the mere thought was enough to summon, Tony caught Loki's reflection in the mirror. His eyes darted towards the ceiling. He had been assured by Fury and Natasha that there were no cameras in his quarters, but he believed that as far as he could throw the pair of them. Despite the camaraderie, Tony, Bruce and even Thor to some extent, realized that they were the outsiders here. In a world of martial rule, the playboy, a loose green cannon and god from another realm were hardly in the mould of law-abiding soldier.

"As nice as it is to see you, darling, this is a pretty stupid idea." Tony said, not turning around.

He could only half see Loki in the mirror on the wall. The man was standing in the doorway of the bathroom behind him. He was wearing that little smirk which was so characteristic of him. "Darling, now, is it?"

"Would you prefer snookums?"

"No."

"Sweetheart? Gumdrop?" Tony turned with a cocky smile of his own.

"Get over here and get on your knees."

"You've got to be kidding."

"I assure you, boy, I am serious."

Tony stared at him. This had to be the stupidest, dumbest, most dangerous thing to do- Thor's quarters were opposite! Natasha's was on the left and Steve's on the right! Any of them could walk in and find Tony on his knees with their arch-nemesis in a rather compromising moment.

Of all the degrading, idiotic things Loki had demanded of him, this was by far the most _out of order_.

Tony felt a rush of adrenaline. _Dangerous. Stupid. Exciting. _He shrugged, "Sure, why the hell not?"

He walked over quickly and dropped to his knees. He fumbled slightly with the fastenings in Loki's trousers and pulled him out quickly.

Tony gazed at the long length and unconsciously licked his lips. It was the little things in life that made things worthwhile; that first look at Loki's cock after perhaps days of not being with him. The way it felt in Tony's hand. That moment he pushed it between his lips and the split second every time he suddenly remembers how much of a challenge it was to take it all. The first burst of taste - rich and glorious and Loki. He couldn't deny how much he's needed this the last few days.

"Tell me how much you've wanted this, Tony."

_The bastard must be psychic_.

"Meh."

Okay, maybe he could deny it. But he still wanted it. Tony pushed Loki down as far as he could. The head hit the back of his throat and Tony choked slightly but kept it there with every ounce of strength he had. The grunt and the fingers tightening in his hair told Tony that it was appreciated.

He pulled back, "You're going to have to keep quiet."

Loki pushed his head back down sharply. Tony gagged as the length hit the back of his throat harder this time. "Then don't give me a reason to complain, boy."

Tony's head bobbed up and down, grasping Loki's hips tightly. _God, how must this look_? He was the Iron Man only two minutes ago when he walked in that door. Now look at him. He couldn't help picturing the looks on the others faces if they saw. Though someone would probably have to explain it to Steve. There wasn't much that could make this situation worse.

"Take your clothes off," Loki growled.

And the psychic always managed to make things worse, even when Tony couldn't believe it.

He pulled off again, "Look, I can only do one or the other you know."

"I disagree. Do it, now."

Loki pulled Tony's head back and guided him up and down, controlling the sensations. This was what Tony tried to avoid. When Loki controlled his head, he tended to push him further down and so Tony was gagging now at every third thrust.

_So fight him off! Bite him! Something!_

Tony squirmed inside. Okay, so he could fight him off. But it would just make things worse for him. Everyone was in shouting distance which put them in danger.

_You're giving Loki a blow job to save your friends?_

Even if it was a lie, it was one that Tony decided to hang on to, for now at least. It made this easier to enjo- bear! _I meant bear. It makes this easier to bear._ Tony shuddered as his cock strained uncomfortably against his trouser.

"Didn't I just tell you to strip?" Loki said darkly.

Tony didn't want to risk pushing Loki now he was using _that_ _tone_. He rolled his eyes and pulled off his jacket. The top half didn't prove too hard after he gave in and just ripped the t-shirt off, but he had to go slower with his trousers and underwear. Loki held his head firm so there was no chance of him stopping, but it was very awkward, very ungraceful and completely belittling.

He groaned as the realisation of Loki's power over him made his cock twitch. Okay, so he was messed up. At least he got to have some fun with it. And here, of all places, on the Helicarrier with Thor opposite.

_This should not be turning me on so much._

"Keep your hands away from yourself, boy. That's mine," Loki said harshly, kicking away Tony's hands from himself.

Tony refocused himself to his task. Loki let go of his head now and Tony took over again, working hard to show he didn't need the punishing control. Keep Loki in a good mood and he generally got a reward by the end of it.

_I mean, won't blow up the Helicarrier._

Tony pushed himself down again and gagged as the cock pushed past the barrier to his throat. It wasn't comfortable, but Loki's whimper was reward enough. F_ucking hell, I actually got him to sound like that. _Tony felt a little pride growing in his chest.

A hand was stroking his hair. Tony's eyes fluttered closed as he sucked mindlessly. There weren't many occasions where his mind switched off. He had long ago come to understand that it was probably impossible. It was always buzzing away on something. But here and now, his mind could refocus onto something less painful than the opposition to his arc reactor scheme, the weight of the Avengers on his shoulders and the news channel's constant criticism of Tony's every move.

Now all he could think of was the rocking, hypnotic moment as he moved back and forth. The way the cock slid in and out of his mouth. The way it would twitch slightly, almost as if it had a life of its own. The heavy breathing of the man knotting his fingers into Tony's hair. Tony hummed unconsciously with the thrill of it. He opened his eyes, looking up at Loki.

Loki was looking down on him speculatively. "Pretty brown eyes," he murmured, using his free hand to push back Tony's fringe. "And how you look at me. You need this so badly, don't you boy."

Tony didn't, _well couldn't,_ answer. But he moved faster and Loki crooned softly. When Loki finally came, the god bit his lip hard to keep from crying out. Tony was left on the floor, his cock so hard now it was straining against his stomach.

He looked up at his god with lust filled eyes. A thousand different witty, scathing jokes jumped up and down, begging to be used. But Tony stayed quiet.

"Lie on the bed. Face up."

Tony jumped to obey as quickly as he could. Loki lay next to him. Loki was still clothed. Tony was naked, hard and pleading with his eyes. The divide between them could not have been more perfectly illustrated.

Loki took Tony in his hand and pumped almost lazily. It was maddeningly slow and Tony needed much more to climax. Tony wondered whether Loki was testing his obedience or his wantonness. The wrong decision could put him into a world of trouble. Tony couldn't decide if he wanted release or punishment. Fortunately, he knew the decision wouldn't be his. That gave him a giddy thrill inside.

"Please," he whispered.

"Please what?"

"Please, let your boy cum," Tony whispered.

"I'm sorry, boy, I didn't hear that. You're going to have to say it _louder_."

_Oh fuck._ Why wasn't he surprised? "Please, let your boy cum," Tony said, a tad louder than his usual speaking voice.

His eyes darted to the door, his ears strained for any sound. If anyone came in this was really, really not going to look good. His body throbbed slightly as he couldn't help but imagine it. The throb started in his neck and ran through his body and made his length feel twice as sensitive. Loki chuckled softly as Tony squirmed under the god's tortuous ministrations.

Loki let go briefly, reached his hand out to Tony's mouth. "Lick."

Tony laved the palm with his tongue. Loki reached back down and resumed his busy work, his hand slightly slicker now. But it still wasn't anywhere near fast enough.

"Louder," Loki whispered, his eyes flashing.

"No, Loki-"

"Loki. God of Mischief. And you here, naked and helpless with all your friends in shouting distance. Tony, _this is where mischief lives_." Loki squeezed hard and Tony yelped and tried to cross his legs instinctively. "Louder."

_You wanted a game, now you're playing the game. If you don't want to play it, it's time to take your marbles and go home._ Tony didn't want this to end just yet and if he wanted to keep going, he'd have to go all in.

"Please, let your boy cum!"

The hand suddenly began moving faster than mortals could. Faster even than Tony's ever could and he was pretty skilled in this area.

"Holy f-" Tony bit down on the word before he came, knowing it was a sure way to get Loki to stop. Loki didn't stop, and Tony's seed was pouring out over his hand now.

"Son of a-" Tony panted hard, trying to recover. He was so overwhelmed by the climax he won't have cared if all of SHIELD had come in at this point. He lay panting, eyes turning to focus on Loki. The god was already on his feet and moving away. "Loki."

Loki paused. He turned and stared at Tony. Tony only just realised he had actually said the word that was plastered over his mind. He swallowed. _Well, way to put your foot in it_. Might as well commit to it now.

"Stay. For a bit."

"Do you think it's wise, boy?" Loki said sneeringly.

"Of course not." Tony said with a wry smile.

Loki cocked his head thoughtfully and shimmered. His clothes disappeared. He pulled Tony up by an arm like he was a child, slipped himself and Tony under the sheets, pulling his boy hard against his chest. Tony shuddered with pleasure as their cocks pressed together. Blue light dancing between them.

Loki reached a pale hand down to stroke the metal slightly. Tony sighed and realised that it was the first time Loki had done this without Tony jumping out of his skin. Was that trust? It was something. Fingers were delicately smoothing around and around the arc.

"So beautiful.," Loki sighed, almost wishfully.

Tony bit his tongue, not sure if this was really a sarcastic 'thank you' moment.

Loki leaned down. Tony moved his face away quickly. That seemed to be happening more and more lately. Loki kept wanting to kiss him and it was just that little bit too much for Tony. Because the kisses were more than good. The kisses seemed to reach into him.

Loki dragged a tongue over his neck and grabbed Tony's jaw with a firm hand. Pulling him back, Loki captured his mouth in a long kiss, a tongue exploring Tony. Tony pulled back slightly, but the grip on his jaw was tight. _It's alright when he's making me._

Eventually the god reached over and turned off the light. He pulled the sheets around them and whispered delicately in Tony's ear, "Tonight, if I have need of your body, I will simply turn you over and take you. All I command is that you lie there and take it. Go to sleep. It will not be for a few hours at least."

Tony stared blearily at the screen in front of him. Loki had been as good as his word last night. Sometime around four in the morning Tony had woken on his stomach to find Loki pushing his way into his body. It had immediately become the third favourite way he had ever woken up.

But Loki taking him from behind had been so… Tony's arms had been held together behind his back by Loki's godlike strength. All Tony had been expected to do was stay still while the god behind him pounded in and out. Loki's passion had been intense and all-consuming and all Tony had needed was the thrusting and the friction of the sheets beneath him to climax. And the words. He had never in his life had a more vocal lover, whispering words of lust and sex and domination into Tony's ear while he rode him hard. Tony had been taken to another world by the images he had painted. When he came, his seed spilling out over the sheet, he had bitten the pillow to stop himself from wailing.

The next time he had woken, Loki was gone. Which was increasingly becoming the worst way to wake up. Now, back in the Helicarrier lab and Tony couldn't think of anything, not a damn thing but Loki.

Bruce was eyeing the back of his head. Tony had to admit he was vaguely alarmed. Bruce had proven himself to be far more alert and perceptive than he had ever previously imagined.

"Is there something in my hair?"

"You seem different."

"In what way?"

"I don't know."

Tony paused, waiting to see if Bruce was going to add anything. Then he shrugged and clapped Bruce on the shoulder. "Well, it was nice to have this chat. We should do it more often."

"I suppose... calmer? Less... sad."

"Sad? I, Tony Stark, have never been sad, that I recall. Though there was this one time in the Malibu Beach House when I ran out of gin. Desperate times, my friend."

Inside his head however, his mind was whirring. Calm? Calm was not a word he'd associate with Loki's company.

"You smile to yourself when you're not thinking," Bruce added. "Or not thinking about work at least. You've been grinning all morning."

"Pass me last week's readings over Asia, I think I saw something."

Bruce smiled and shook his head. He was smart enough to take the hint. Tony pulled up a map of Asia and overlaid the readings from last week and the most current. There it was. There was definitely a spike. And it was growing.

"A spike of what?" Steve asked later during the briefing.

Tony launched into the technical explanation with glee. Bruce gave a low whistle of appreciation. It was big news.

The rest of the room was silent. Tony sighed and waved a hand. "You know the readings we get when Thor does his falling from the sky surrounded by lightening thing? That."

"More of you are coming to our world?" Fury asked Thor accusingly.

Tony rolled his eyes, "No. It's not a conduit reaching us. It's a conduit reaching _out_."

Thor looked at Tony in disbelief. "Midgard has Bifröst?"

"Who has a what now?" Tony asked.

"We're Midgardians," Natasha clarified.

"Natasha, I honestly have no idea what you are - some sort of cyborg probably. The point is, this is power unlike anything we currently have." Tony's mind was already considering the thousands of different potential uses for an energy source which, all things considered, could be made stable enough to use.

"Indeed and it is not to be taken lightly," Thor said.

"You said that about the Tesseract. You don't think anything should be taken lightly and I object. I demand my right to take things lightly." Tony pulled himself up sharply.

_Damn Bruce_. The doctor had told him he wasn't acting like himself, so now he was trying to act even more himself than usual. Did that even make sense?

"Whatever it is, we need to locate it and secure it," Fury said firmly. "Stark, do you have a location?"

Tony bit back a joke. "Approximately. Well no. I know which hemisphere. Asia."

"That's a lot of ground to cover, Tony," Steve said.

"Tell you what, you do what I do and I'll do what you do. Stand around with my arms crossed looking broody. You can figure out the wacky readings that half of our technology doesn't even recognize as being anything. It's like, trying to find glass marbles in water." Tony glanced around as his fellow Avengers gave each other looks. "What, just me? Look, if we could get the Helicarrier over the hemisphere in question, then the readings will be stronger and I can pin point it exactly."

"Tony already has a pretty good idea," Bruce chimed in quietly.

"Where?" Fury asked.

Tony smiled. "North Korea."

The majority of people in the room rolled their eyes and made sounds of exasperation. Tony glanced at Thor who was looking perplexed. "It's the land of hugs and rainbows," Tony added for Thor's benefit. "They just _love_ Americans over there."

"Can you spell 'War' Tony?" Barton asked.

"I'm sorry, I didn't realise I was at a spelling bee."

"It would be an international diplomatic incident on global scale, Stark," Fury said. "How exactly could we explain it?"

"Hey, Kim Jong-un – love what you've done with your hair by the way. Could we just pop in, take control of an alien device which creates conduits to different realms? We promise not to tread mud into your carpets. Pretty please. The Avengers." Tony considered. "That probably covers the essentials. Look, come on! I thought the Avengers were _for the world_? Peace, love… giant green guys and all that jazz," Tony said, affecting naivety, though he well understood the problem. Still, it was the kind of problem Tony didn't really care to solve.

"Yeah, but America is still footing the bill," Bruce said quietly, with a nervous laugh. "Supplying the weapons, the Helicarrier. Paying the wages."

"Wages? I don't get any wages," Tony said with surprise.

"You don't need any," Fury snapped. He rubbed his face, apparently exhausted. "Alright. This is going to take some handling and it's not going to happen overnight. I'm going to - you -" he wagged his finger at Tony with firm certainty "No fly-bys over Korea, are we clear? In fact, keep away from Asia in general."

"Would I?" he asked innocently. "Cross my heart and hope to remain sober my entire life. Getting shot down by a Korean rocket isn't my idea of a Thursday evening."

"It's Monday," Barton said.

"I work here for free, you know," Tony said. "Out of curiosity, do Bruce and the Hulk get separate pay checks? Or is it down as a job swap? How does it come up on the headcount?"

Fury ignored Tony, turning to Thor. "Have your people ever heard of a Bifröst on this planet?"

"They are not grown as if trees, Fury. The Bifröst was built by my people to allow us to travel between worlds. It makes little sense that one should be here."

Tony raised a hand. "Well one _is_ here."

"I cannot explain it," Thor said. "I… I will travel back to Asgard. I am loath to do so while Loki is threatening this world, but I must confer with the All Father. He will know."

"How close is Shanghai to these readings from North Korea?" Barton asked suddenly.

Everyone turned to stare. "Why?" Fury asked.

"Loki. This Bifröst is powerful, right? And why was Loki just randomly in Shanghai?"

The light of revelation dawned on Thor's face. "My brother is seeking the Bifröst. If Shanghai is as close to North Korea as you suggest I have little doubt my brother has already discovered it."

Fury turned away, walking towards that dark room where he had his clandestine meetings. Tony reminded himself that next time, he was hacking into the signal so he could eavesdrop. "That settles it, I am contacting the directors."


	9. Chapter 9: Power

Tony sat in the dark room, working his way through a bottle of vodka. He could have just told Jarvis to turn the lights on, but no. There was something very alluring about sitting in a dark room; you don't have to look at anything. You can just be. Exist. He felt Loki's presence behind him, but didn't turn. He finished his glass and was pouring another before he spoke.

"Tell me about the Bifröst."

There was silence as he started on the fresh glass. What was it about vodka? There was no real taste; it was the water of the alcoholic world. It was meant for a fast and dirty purpose. Getting completely hammered.

"An invention of my people. A bridge that allows us to cross realms."

"You don't need it."

"I am talented."

"In so many ways," Tony muttered angrily. He still hadn't turned to face the god. He didn't want to. "Why is there a Bifröst in North Korea?"

"Is there?" Loki asked placidly.

"Don't. Don't fucking- just don't," Tony growled. Loki was close now. Delicate fingers were stroking the short, fine hairs on the back of his neck. "Don't."

Another hand slipped down his shirt, caressing the skin around the arc reactor. As lips began to press against his neck, the hand under his shirt turned its attention to his nipples. Tony shuddered, biting down hard on his tongue to stop the responsive moan.

_Responsive. That's what I am, that's what he's made me. He turns me on and turns me off like a toy._

"You attacked Shanghai for a reason. Why?"

"Don't talk, boy."

"Why is there a Bifröst on Earth?"

Tony's chin was captured in a powerful grip and his head was pulled back gently. Loki's lips closed over Tony's. Tony kissed back almost immediately, but his mind was in turmoil. Sex was the end of their time together. Any talking they did, they did before. Loki would fuck Tony into unconsciousness and by the time the billionaire managed to open his eyes again, he would be alone.

Tony pulled away. There had to be something he could wheedle out of Loki. Particularly if Tony could make himself seem open to play. It was just a matter of pushing in the right way. "Tell me about the Bifröst."

"Shh. I can work your body so wonderfully you will not think on this 'til morning."

"That's what I'm afraid of." Tony stood and walked away. Loki followed him into the bedroom and watched in silence as Tony slowly pulled off his shirt. Gentle blue light lit Tony's features, giving him almost an ethereal look. "Tell me about the Bifröst."

Loki glanced unseeingly out the window with eyes which suddenly seemed so old. "Thor's love of our history is for the conquests and wars. It does not surprise me he doesn't know." Loki began to undress too.

As Tony moved on to his belt, it occurred to him that he hadn't seen Loki undress before. It had always happened by magic _yes, he spotted the joke thank you_.

Watching the tall, pale, lean figure slowly unclothing now was... exciting.

"But I studied. I studied them all. Hours in the library by the light of burning candles while Thor and his fawners spent their time in the training yards."

Tony swallowed, his eyes flickering away slightly. Of everything he felt about Loki, _understanding_ hadn't so far been an emotion he had felt. He was feeling it now though. Tony had by no standard ever been a jock at school. He had built robots. Mostly to wind up his teachers who had spent long hours explaining why it couldn't be done.

Fortunately, he had also been massively rich and a Stark and everyone knew it. So Tony Stark had pioneered _sexy nerd_, had turned the persona into his first suit of armour against the world and hadn't ever been beaten up on the playground.

Okay, maybe once or twice. It was remarkable how his mouth got him into trouble.

Loki was shirtless now. Tony found himself licking his bottom lip.

"There were always old tales. Myths about the time before the Odin Father himself. Stories of Asgardians who endeavoured to create a web of Bifrösts to connect the Nine Realms. A dream of peace, I think. A harmony between the Realms."

Tony chuckled darkly and Loki smiled appreciatively. "You and I have much in common, my little boy."

"We're both total bastards?" Tony suggested.

"And are fully aware of what can be done to the naive when a dream of peace is offered."

Tony had made a living selling the idea that peace was easy to have. All you have to do is own the bigger stick and here he was, selling the biggest sticks money could buy.

In the old days.

"Needless to say, it caused many wars before the majority of the Bifrösts were finally destroyed. Only two remained. There is a Bifröst on Midgard and its sister is... was in Asgard."

"Was?"

"Thor had a bit of a temper tantrum. It now stands idle, though the All Father will doubtless have it rebuilt. It is too valuable a treasure to ignore for long."

Tony wondered idly what a Thor temper tantrum looked like. And how exactly it could destroy an inter-realm travelling machine?

"So why are you so interested in it then?" Tony asked.

Tony had finished undressing a long time ago and was now watching Loki keenly as the god dropped the last items of clothing. It had been a mass of leather and fine, silk looking material. All completely unnecessary, Tony considered, but fuck did it make for a teasing show. Loki could go on stage with it.

He found he was swaying slightly, waiting by the bed. Waiting for, he couldn't believe it even now, instruction from Loki. Tony's mind was also processing what the god was telling him, doing his best to put the pieces together. And his eyes were devouring the display in front of him, his body crying out to touch the milky skin.

Tony shuddered. So many violently conflicting emotions and thoughts. It was almost more than his sanity could stand.

"Power," Loki said with almost a shrug. He smiled. "Who doesn't want power?"

"That which you're not allowed to have?" Tony sneered.

"I think you've wasted enough of our time, don't you?" Loki asked.

Tony raised innocent eyes on Loki, licking his lips again. "You can tell me more, can't you?" he breathed.

Loki looked at him, annoyed, but said briskly, "The Bifröst can be used as more than just a device for travel. It can be used as a weapon against worlds."

"This world?" Tony asked sharply.

But Loki shook his head. "No. That is not my intention. Now do not ask me anything further unless you wish for punishment and not the kind that will make you beg for more," Loki said coarsely. He was getting angry.

Tony gazed at Loki sceptically. Well, that seemed to be all he was getting from the mad god tonight.

Time to play.

"How do you want me?"

_Did you seriously just ask the bastard how to arrange yourself so he can fuck you?_

_It's all part of the game! If I can distract him, I can get more out of him about the Bifröst. I'm lulling him into a false sense of security._

_Sure. Tell yourself that if you want to._

"Sit up. Against the headboard. Play with yourself. Show me how badly you want me."

Tony sat with his back on the headboard as Loki moved to sit on the edge of the bed, out of reach. Tony's hand reached down and stroked himself. He kept his eyes fixed on Loki, forcing down the embarrassment though he could still feel his cheeks getting hot.

_Of everything he's forced you to do, this is not the most embarrassing_ Tony told himself hotly.

_It's degrading. And that's why it's so good._

His cock, already semi-erect, was very quickly growing into life. He ran his hand up and down, pausing occasionally to rub his thumb heavily over the head. His hips squirmed slightly.

On the increasingly few nights Loki didn't turn up, Tony found himself like this; hard, horny and jerking off while imagining Loki pounding him into the bed. But the orgasms when they came were just a release and didn't seem to relieve the mounting frustration. A frustration which intensified and coiled and tightened with every passing day of Loki's absence.

Then Loki would finally appear one night, drag him into the bed and fuck him raw. That coil inside of him would explode, taking with it every ounce of tension in his body and he was left, often in a pool of his own semen, shivering, sore and perfectly peaceful.

Peaceful was a word that Tony had never before dreamed of using. He had never really been _at rest._

Tony smiled broadly, bringing a second hand into play and kneading his balls luxuriously. His eyes grew heavy with lust and his mouth opened as he watched Loki's eyes roaming his body like it was the most resplendent work of art he had seen.

"Enjoying the show?" he asked thickly.

"Masterful," Loki breathed.

Tony wasn't sure if Loki was being facetious or not.

Loki smiled gently. "Such a pretty boy I've managed to capture."

"Charmer," Tony scoffed. He arched his head back blissfully as his cock throbbed in his hand. This was amazing and he was close, but Tony wasn't sure where Loki was going with this.

"I'd rather have your cock in my mouth," Tony said.

Loki licked his lips. "Do you? Or do you flatter to gain permission for release?"

"Get over here," Tony hissed through clenched teeth. He wasn't sure how the note of command was going to go down with his god, but he was fortunate this time at least.

Loki sauntered over and knelt on the bed in front of Tony. The billionaire was quick to engulf the long length into his mouth and sucked. His second hand left himself to play with Loki's scrotum. Loki thrust lazily in and out of Tony's mouth and Tony, feeling in danger of cumming too soon, used his other hand to support himself. His cock between his legs twitched and pulsed, bouncing in the air almost autonomously, but Tony willingly ignored his own need. The taste and sensation of the hard cock sliding in and out of his mouth was the centre of his universe.

All too soon Loki was pushing Tony back. Tony let go with a heartfelt, annoyed grumble. Loki chuckled and patted Tony on the head like a boy. "Hush, my darling. I will never tire of such a pretty mouth."

Tony rolled his eyes and made a move to turn over. But the Asgardian stopped him with a hand to the shoulder. "No. I wish to see your face."

Tony, he'd privately admit, was intimidated. The majority of his experience had been with women and nothing much in the kink department. Yes, a blow job on a guy when he had been experimenting in college but that had been perhaps on two occasions and it had never done anything for him. And sex, it had always been from behind for Tony with those few guys, both as fucker and fuckee.

"Okay," he mumbled as Loki pulled him back on the bed so his head landed heavily on the pillows. Tony found his hips being pulled off the bed as his legs were hooked over Loki's shoulders.

_Bent into any position he wants me without a word of complaint._

Tony cringed slightly. "This is stupid," he mumbled cantankerously and tried to pull his legs back and get off the bed. But Loki held him firmly in place wordlessly and after not even a minute of half-hearted struggling, Tony fell still.

Loki patted his stomach soothingly. "New position for you, boy?"

"No," Tony objected. Then he muttered angrily, "First time it's been me with my legs in the air, though." Just saying the fact out loud was enough to make his length twitch painfully and push him into a new level of arousal. He scowled at Loki and for some reason he had to make this point clear. "I'm usually on top, you know."

Loki laughed delightedly, his white teeth flashing. "Oh, but I think you'll learn that you prefer it like this. This position allows me such better access," Loki ran delicate fingers over Tony's stomach, legs, thighs and cock.

"Suppose I could learn to live with it," Tony shrugged, trying to act like he wasn't particularly bothered.

Loki's hand smacked down hard on Tony's ass making him jump. "I can do that, too." Loki purred.

Tony began to see all the wonderful little advantages.

_And you get to see his face, don't forget that._

"Anything else you need, boy?"

Loki's eyes were fixed on his. Tony knew all he had to do was ask, but that was so hard. He steeled himself for a barbed comment or an evil laugh and asked, "Cuffs, please."

He didn't get either. Instead, Loki smiled gently with a little nod, and Tony felt cuffs pulling round his wrists and holding his arms over his head.

"Why are you after the Bifröst, Loki?"

_Okay... this is a really awkward position to interrogate someone, Tony._

Loki paused, his sight fixed in the middle distance. His expression was tense and concerned. "There is… something. Coming for me." Delicate white hands were stroking Tony's stomach absent-mindedly. "I need the power the Bifröst generates if I am to have any chance of…" he broke off into a deep silence.

Tony looked at Loki carefully. "Talk to me, Loki."

"No. I don't think so. My little boy, you are such tease."

Loki kissed Tony's legs opened mouthed, his tongue caressing the skin as a hand reached down and guided the rock hard member into Tony's desperately willing body. Both hissed as Loki pushed in past the tight ring. Loki shifted slightly, closing the distance between them and Tony knew that when the pounding started it was going to be very, very deep.

Loki rubbed Tony's stomach again and slapped his ass.

Tony jerked up with a yelp and impaled himself harshly on Loki, taking the last inch in violently. "Ah! Oh, fuck yes!"

"Yes! My darling boy, do it again," Loki gasped.

Tony fought to keep control as Loki slapped him harder. He stayed still this time with effort, glaring at the god holding his legs in the air.

Loki rolled his eyes and laughed at the ceiling. "You're really the most tremendously difficult creature I've ever had to tame. I honestly wonder sometimes why I bother."

Tony looked away. _Fuck. Why did that hurt?_

But he looked back as fingers danced lightly over his aching cock. Tony shuddered and looked back into that face.

Loki was smiling thoughtfully. "But then I see those eyes... and I remember. Don't worry, boy. The more of a challenge you present, the more determined I become to succeed. If I were you," Loki whispered now, almost with a conspiratorial air, "I would just give in. Offer your body to me whenever I am near. Then you would become boring and I'd leave you alone."

Tony glowered. "Is this trick? You liar."

Loki smiled. "Worth the try. I will simply have to force your wanton obedience then."

As Loki began to pound, Tony realised that, at this point, trying to convince himself that he was just playing along with Loki and his madness was harder to do when you willingly _ask_ to be tied up.

_You said please and everything._

There was a strong, powerful, beautiful, lean god towering over him, grasping his legs in the air, holding back from ploughing into him with so much force he could, without restraint, crush Tony's spine. Loki could literally fuck him to death.

_Fuck, that thought is making me so hard_.

He felt like some sort of maiden sacrifice.

Tony looked down and saw precum leaking from his cock. The sight made him groan loudly. His eyes rolled back in his head as his body arched, forcing himself deeper into the thrusts. He was shaking; he was mewling in one long whine. Loki was panting, grunting, moaning, whispering good boys and oh yeses. The sound filled the room and Tony couldn't escape it. The sound of sex. The sound of a height of pleasure no… no mortal had ever inspired in Tony. The sound poured into his chest and made him fly in a haze of need.

"Perhaps I can bend you in two, boy," grunted Loki delightedly. "Imagine how deep I could be then."

Tony's legs were being pushed towards the headboard very slowly, forcing the muscles to accept a new position, as Loki gained strength in his driving force. Tony knew he was going to wake up tomorrow aching, but he barely registered the strain in his muscles as his legs were slowly pushed down towards his head.

_Fuck, no further! I am not that kind of flexible!_

But he rapidly changed his mind as Loki, with more room now, managed to find a new angle in Tony to pummel. Loki was able to thrust down with greater strength with the natural aid of gravity than he had be had been able to thrust forward. Added to the sound of sex was the sound of a creaking, objecting bed, rocking on its legs and threatening to collapse.

Tony's body shuddered involuntary. He could see his toes curling and his body glistening with sweat. "Yes, Loki, yes! More, fuck more! Please!"

Loki didn't push his legs down against the bed which was good because Tony was convinced he was too old to get into that position without breaking his back, but Loki had achieved what he wanted now in any case; a better angle, a chance to lean right over Tony, showing the boy exactly who was fucking him and making his cock dribble so eagerly. And more importantly, illustrating graphically that Tony would be bent into any position Loki liked and would learn to love it.

Tony's mouth was open, panting, wailing. "Fuck Loki, fuck yes, oh god yes!"

_What would I be doing if not this? What, six months ago, would I be doing now if I wasn't being rammed into the bed by a horny god?_

_I'd be flying over North Korea right now._

_Not necessarily._

_Yes necessarily. You wouldn't be able to help yourself. Pepper hadn't tempered you, she had just made sure that you were suitably ashamed for the terrible things you did. But it rarely stopped you. You would be over North Korea, right now, starting a war._

Instead, Tony was lying in his bed, groaning and gasping and feeling that long, wonderful cock penetrating him with demanding thrusts, compelling Tony's submission.

He fought to keep his eyes open. Loki's gaze was fixed on his face unflinchingly and he wanted desperately to return that stare but his vision was blurring and narrowing, involuntary reactions forcing them shut.

"Tony."

Tony forced his eyes back open again.

Loki smiled. He pulled Tony's legs back from nearly over his head so they now encompassed Loki's waist. "Hold on tight, lock your ankles together and tip your hips."

The boy's cock pulsed strongly at the calm, commanding tone. Everything about that tone expected Tony to obey unquestioningly. Loki's hands came up under his hips to support Tony's lower back.

Tony did follow without hesitation and his body flinched hard as Loki's cock hit his prostate. Tony cried out in a high, whimpering sob. "Oh!" he wailed. Loki hadn't paused a moment in his thrusting and Tony found his mouth on autopilot with every push. "Yes! Hah! Oh! Yes! Oh! Fuck! God! Don't! Stop! Oh! Please!"

Loki stroked Tony's thighs with large, warm hands. "You've been so good, holding back. But I want you to relax. Hush, hush boy. Close your eyes. Relax. Let it happen."

Tony threw his head back, arms tensing, pulling against the cuffs as he worked his hips into Loki. Stretched out on the bed, he was writhing and flailing under his god so wantonly, opening expressing how he felt without a shadow of shame. In way, Tony was a more truthful with Loki than anyone else. Right here, right now, no mask. It was just Tony's body responding exactly to what he felt.

Power. Loki had said it and now Tony believed it. He was totally in Loki's power and there was no way back. Not for tonight, at least. Tony was completely reliant on Loki and wouldn't see tomorrow without him.

He was there, so close, so near. He needed a little more. "Hit me," he pleaded.

Loki slapped him and Tony half gasped, half laughed. He couldn't help it. He was shuddering hard, eyes tight shut as Loki's hand worked over his cock. A hand smacked down after every few strokes of Tony's eager cock. The boy was keening, teetering now on the very edge, and fighting it back out of a sheer fear that when he tumbled in, he would be lost completely.

"This never has to end. I could take your body every hour, of every day until the end of time and I would never tire of hearing your gasps, your moans, never tire of your eyes, of your taste. Your beautiful, perfect body thrashing beneath me as I teach you to worship. Would you like to learn how to worship? Are you ready to accept a god?"

That's the last thing Tony heard before his while body shattered. His own cum sprayed out over his chest. Loki's name was the last thing on his lips before he closed his eyes and slept.


	10. Chapter 10: Played

The Avengers were in North Korea and currently not in trouble. Yet. Tony had set up shop in what looked like a disused power plant, though he had been pointedly told by everyone it seemed not to try to figure anything out.

Tony was more concerned with the readings. He was so close to locating the exact position of the second Bifröst, he knew it. Bruce was at this elbow; the pair were working in complete unison, occasionally pointing to readings and muttering to each other, but otherwise in complete silence. Tony knew he was almost here. All he needed was two minutes of uninterrupted thought, not that he was likely to get-

"Anything?"

"What do you want from me, Barton? I'm not pulling a rabbit out of a hat here."

"The Koreans want us gone, Tony."

"They're not the only ones," Tony muttered.

He rolled his head from side to side, opening his eyes again and getting back to the readings. The satellites were all in sync, streaming data to the computer. The maps and graphs were narrowing in and the little programme Tony had written, which was a work of pure genius, was filtering it all into a simple 'x marks the spot' image.

Steve sidled over, trying to look casual. He leant against the workbench, looking out over the field around them and whispered to Tony, "What did you learn on your flyby?"

"My what?"

"When you flew into North Korea?"

"… What?"

Steve gazed at him, honestly surprised. "I assumed the first thing you did when you heard about the readings was to fly over here and see what you could pick up. No matter what you told Fury. I was surprised when days went past and nothing about the Iron Man getting shot down in Pyongyang appeared on the news. I assumed you found a way round it."

_Sorry Steve. I was busy getting my ass owned by a god._

"Don't get me wrong, man, I thought of it. But it seems like everyone's on the lookout for the Iron Man these days. I'm stupid, not reckless. Okay, I'm reckless, not stupid. One way or the other, I wasn't getting POW'd by the Democratic People's Republic."

Steve looked at him, almost with a new found respect. But there was still a hint of suspicion behind the eyes.

"Cross my heart and hope to die, Captain sir. I did not pull Lucy's pigtails. And even if I did, she started it."

"Whatever, Tony," Steve said exhaustedly as he walked away.

Tony refocused on the screen with a smile. He caught Bruce's eye. The man's shoulders were shaking silently with suppressed laughter. You see? That's why Bruce was a friend. Tony liked people he could entertain. Tony liked people who found him funny and clever. Tony liked people who…who liked him.

"It's cold, Tony," Barton called.

"You want me to fix the weather? This is going to take as long as it takes. Why don't you sit yourself down and… Got it!" Tony exclaimed.

Bruce stared over his shoulder. "Nice work!"

"As the only other person here who knows what I've actually just done, I take that as a great compliment."

"You deserve it."

"Thank you, yes, I do."

"When you two have finished your little _bromance_ moment, where the hell is the Bifröst?" Barton sniped.

Tony shook his head. "I think he's just jealous. Sorry, Barton. Bruce and I don't do threesomes. We're not weird."

Bruce smiled. "Changbai Mountain."

"The Manchzuro-Koreiskie gory. That's an active volcano," Natasha supplied. She shrugged at the look they gave her. "I've been here before."

"Who were you here to kill? What, I'm not allowed to even ask?" Tony asked incredulously at a glare from Steve.

"Let's get in the transport. The quicker we secure this thing the better."

"Nice plan Captain," Tony mocked. "Quick thought. If the Koreans know that there's an immensely powerful device in their backyard which can destroy worlds, do you think they're going to hand it over?"

"The Bifröst cannot be 'handed over', Tony. It is a permanent fixture," Thor said.

"And here's another little titbit for you, boys and girls," Tony said, swinging the screen around to face them. It showed a map of the Changbai Mountain. "It's right on the border between North Korea and China."

"And owned by the Russians, presumably. How can this get any better?" Bruce chuckled mirthlessly.

Steve shook his head, ignoring the fact like only a solider could. "This is all for the politicians to figure out, Tony. Our orders are clear."

"Yessir," Tony said with a mock salute. "And when things go tits up, I'll remember you said that."

The transport landed on the mountain side. It didn't take long after that to find the concealed cave. And when Tony said concealed, he meant- "I can't see a cave," he said petulantly. He glared at the solid rock wall which his sensors had brought him to.

He glanced at Steve who was looking at him with almost a smug air. "Get that look off your face, Star-Spangles. I'm still right. The emissions are coming from here."

"It is here, Tony," Thor said reassuring. "It is concealed with magic."

"Well go on then, open sesame or whatever."

Thor raised Mjölner commandingly. The rock shimmered then melted away. Steve whistled under his breath. "Impressive."

"Oh, that impresses you? Do you have the slightest fucking idea what I had to do to find this place?"

"Not really."

Thor turned and smiled at the iron masked Tony. "Your skills in the ways of science are a magic unto itself, my friend."

"Gee, Thor, was that a compliment?"

Natasha and Barton where already stalking slowly into the cave, weapons raised. The rest followed. Steve took the lead once they got past the narrow corridor. Tony glanced around. The narrow corridor looked like it had been carved into the mountain. But now they were surrounded by silver pillars and a white marble floor. Tony didn't claim to be an expert, but when you bought enough old stuff (and stuck it away in storage) a little history managed to seep through, even into Tony's disinterested brain. White marble in Asia was not naturally occurring. Someone put a lot of time and energy into this place.

The Cap, who had been scouting ahead with Natasha and Barton came back sans the assassins. "All clear. It opens up onto a large chamber. There doesn't seem to be anything in there but some sort of…" Steve struggled in slight embarrassment. "Sword in the stone?"

Tony and Bruce looked sideways at one another. Thor's head rose off his shoulders. "A sword?"

He rushed ahead, past Steve and as they hurried to follow, they heard an exclamation of surprise. Thor was standing on a raised silver platform, walking around some sort of hub which had a long, thick handled silver sword buried in it. "It is incredible."

Tony cocked his head. "It's a bit gaudy."

"Oh man, you should really look in the mirror before you say that," Barton quipped. Tony punched him in the arm.

"It is almost identical, but the one on Asgard was gold."

"Before you had your temper tantrum?"

"Pardon?"

_Fuck!_ "Nothing." _Just keep your mouth shut Tony!_

_Yeah, like that's going to happen._

Thor pulled the large sword out. Even by his standards, it was far larger than could be reasonably used in a fight and Tony couldn't help but comment on the fact.

Thor smiled. "Heimdall could behead three Jotun with one swing of his sword. This one looks of similar make and power. A fine balance. It is the key to the Bifröst. It is how it is awoken."

"Can you activate it now?" Barton said wearily.

Thor looked around sceptically. "This place is old and has fallen into great disrepair. I doubt that simply waking it would lead to anything. It needs magic and it does not seem to be gaining any."

"You have a gift at stating the obvious, Odinson."

The Avengers were suddenly closing ranks, preparing weapons. The Black Guard aimed their enhanced guns at them and standing in front was…

"Brother, we need not fight-"

"Oh will you ever give it a rest?!" Tony snapped, "Seriously? You think he's suddenly going to say 'no, you're right Thor. Let's just put these petty differences aside'?"

"Agreed," Hawkeye said. His bow moved, aiming an arrow between Loki's eyes. "Let's just shoot him in the head."

"Maybe too far in the other direction?" Tony asked.

"Hand over the Sword, Thor," Loki said.

Thor shook his head. "I cannot do that, brother. I believe there is good inside of you still. I will not risk you falling deeper into this madness. Brother, please, I am taking you and the Sword back to Asgard. Come with me. There our Father-"

"Speak not of him to me!" Loki snapped. The staff was raised. "Hand it over."

"No."

The fight was brief but messy. With not much room in the chamber, Tony could hardly fly. Barton couldn't exactly perch somewhere high up to pick off his enemies and when the Hulk appeared, it got crowded very quickly.

Tony knocked a Black Guard over with a punch to the jaw and made for Loki. Not entirely sure what he would do when he got here. But he was caught by an energy blast from a mercenary with messed his visor up for a good two minutes. He was blind and was only saved by Natasha knocking him down and breaking the neck of the advancing guard.

The mercenaries main job was one they did well, if unimaginatively. Keep the Avengers away from Loki and Thor up on the platform. Which, regrettably, left a not overly bright man, burdened with a trusting, caring nature, a sense of honour and fair play fighting his brother alone, for whom he cared deeply. A brother who was an evil scheming bastard.

It was never going to end well.

The problem was, as the problem always was, Loki wasn't strong or fast but sly. And he could create illusions. After he had knocked the key from Thor's hand, he had distracted him long enough for one of his mercenaries to run with it. Thor had seen a version of the sword still lying on the floor and when he had gone to pick it up…

_Well that was a fucking waste of everyone's time._

The Avengers where back in the transport, metaphorically licking their wounds. It wasn't exactly the glorious battle of song and story. SHIELD was inbound to secure the Bifröst chamber to begin their studying. For once, Tony felt curiously disinterested in what might be a tremendous scientific find. Natasha even commented on it, but Tony waved her away.

His mind was working overtime. Bruce watched him pace, wrapped in a blanket. You think the man would learn to wear larger clothes so he didn't rip through everything, wouldn't you?

Tony stopped in front of Bruce. "Why was Loki here?"

"To get the key."

Tony shook his head, pacing back and forwards across the transport. He stopped again. "According to all our assumptions, he already knew where this place was. That's why he was in Asia in the first place."

"Maybe he couldn't get pass the door?"

Tony turned to Bruce with a roll of the eyes. "With the glow stick of destiny?"

Bruce shrugged. "No, doesn't seem likely, does it?"

"He could have got past the door and been off with the sword thing before we even knew it was in North Korea." Tony paused. There didn't seem any more room in this line of thought. He switched. "How did he know it was there?"

"Maybe someone in Asgard told him."

"Couldn't have been recently, he's an escaped prisoner." Tony started pacing again. "But that doesn't matter; I wasn't talking about how he knew Earth has a Bifröst. How did he know it's in Korea?"

"Maybe, like last time, he has human scientists working for him."

"No one can do what I do," Tony said. "That's not arrogance, that's fact. And a little bit of arrogance. I have a satellite network which rivals any government or industry in the world. I have the technology. I know what to look for. So how did he know…"

_Sitting in a dark room. Drinking vodka. Beautiful finger tips stroking the back of his neck and he asked… why is there a Bifröst in…_

Tony realised the truth in a blinding flash. Loki hadn't known where the Bifröst was until he had told him. "Son of a bitch," Tony said. He slammed his fist into a wall of the transport. It left a fist sized dent in the machine which was currently flying thousands of feet in the air. Probably not smart. "Son of a bitch played me!"

"Played you?" said a voice.

Tony turned and saw Steve standing in the doorway between the loading space and the cockpit, still suited as Tony was, though missing his shield and helmet. Blue eyes gazed intensely.

Tony swallowed. "He played all of us, but I'm the one reading the data. I'm the one getting us rushing out to North Korea for the entire world to see. Here we all were wondering what Loki was playing at. So we found out and then we traced the Bifröst and then we led the son of a bitch straight to it! He wouldn't have found it if it weren't for me!"

"Maybe. But we wouldn't have found it without you and, who knows, Loki probably would have been able to find it eventually."

"We don't know that."

"No, but we have the Bifröst secure-"

"But Loki has the key to making it work."

"Which he can't use without fighting his way through an army," Steve said slowly. "Tony, don't beat yourself up. We all decided on this. It's not like you flew out here alone and let him follow you."

_Might as well have._

"Son of a bitch," Tony repeated. _That bastard fucked me over._

How had he convinced himself that this was a game? His great game with Loki. This wasn't a game, this was not playtime. He had been fucked over by Loki and now he'd fucked over his own team and for what?

_Sex._

"I'm going to kill him," Tony said in a hollow voice.

"Don't let Thor hear you say that," Bruce said with a tremulous laugh, trying to defuse the tension.

"I am going to fucking slaughter him."

Steve cocked his head vaguely, "Tony, you're taking this... more personally than usual."

Tony didn't reply. Turning away he pulled down the visor of his helmet and punched the button on the side of the doors. They opened and wind rushed in.

"Tony-" Steve started.

"I'm going back to Stark Tower."

Tony wasn't going back to Stark Tower. Tony was boiling with a fury he hadn't felt since... the day he realized that those terrorists had been killing people with _his_ weaponry. That was the last time something he had built something and poured his world into it and it had shattered into shit.

_Merchant of Death._ He couldn't escape the fact that he seemed to make stupid, stupid decisions which should by all fairness lead to his immediate and painful death. More often than not, it just to everyone else around him suffering. Tony couldn't work out if that was a charm or a curse.

"Pull up the Bifröst programme," Tony commanded.

"Shall I alert the Avengers, sir? You will need backup."

"Just do it, Jarvis," Tony said.

The programme showed on a series of maps and charts the energy and radiation signature of the Bifröst. The key to its workings should emit the same energy readings on a smaller scale.

Tony got a ping, converted all energy to his thrusters and headed straight for it. It was originating from a camp, seemingly in the middle of nowhere, of a few large tents encircling a decrepit looking stone bunker.

Tony landed hard. The image was the same as a hundred landings before, crouched low, fist pressed down hard supporting the weight as a cloud of dust glittered in the area from the force of the impact. He looked up and his visor immediately picked out the hostiles around him. Fortunately, the Iron Man appearing in their camp wasn't something they had planned for.

A combination of lasers and guided rockets was enough to finish off the people outside. One man was literally hauled off the ground and thrown back into a flood light, knocking the post down and plunging the camp into complete darkness. Except for the man with infra-red built into his red and gold helmet.

There weren't many guarding the inside either, but Tony didn't spare a thought for them. He cleared rooms, shooting down any mercenary he saw until he finally reached the last room.

He kicked the door down and found Loki. The god looked up and stared at Tony with a rising smile. "I don't recall summoning you, boy."

Tony took aim. The targeting circles in his visor screen picked out its marks on the hostile; head and chest. The rockets on his arms armed themselves and waited.

"Hand over the sword, key thing Reindeer Games."

Loki spread his arms. "Does it look as though I have it?"

"Take me to it. Now."

"No I don't think so."

Tony fired. Dozens of tiny rockets flew at Loki and passed straight through. He yelled in frustration and threw his arms down. He such an idiot - of course there wouldn't be many mercenaries stationed here if Loki himself wasn't here.

He had been conned. Again.

"You played me."

_You betrayed me._

Loki shook his head. "I did not ask you to reveal the location of the Bifröst. You did so attempting to play me. To play on my love of you."

Tony grabbed an iron bar from the debris around him and threw it at Loki. It passed through his head and buried itself inches deep in the wall behind him. "Don't you dare - you've been playing me from the beginning!"

"Take the mask off, boy. I do not care for speaking to a mechanical voice."

"No, the Iron Man is all you're getting. That's it, it's over."

"It's over when I say it is, boy. I say it's over when you're dead, in my arms, in however many years it takes for you to finally destroy your liver with vodka. You're making an admirable attempt so I shouldn't be concerned that it would take long, my sweet love. Ten, fifteen years?"

"I'm going to find you and I'm going to kill you," Tony growled.

Loki sighed and tilted his head, looking greatly put upon. "I don't want this to alter what we have. You're angry and tired. And wearing your mask. We'll speak again once you've calmed down and shed your armour."

"We are never-" Tony said, but Loki disappeared. "You little fucking shit."

There had been nothing at the camp, nothing in the outlying buildings. The signature Tony had followed he eventually traced to a beacon that had been specifically designed to emit it. He blew it up, the explosion was seen for miles but it didn't make him feel any better.

_Fucking fucker._


	11. Chapter 11: Burden

Tony sat in a chair, his elbows resting on his knees, his chin on his hands. The view from Stark Tower was one of his favourite sights in the world. But as the scene grew darker and the blazing lights of a city at night flared up, there was something wrong about it. Loki's visits were always at night. Too many of the Avengers were in and out during the day to risk it. So the darker it got, the more he thought...

How likely was it that the bastard would show up? Very likely. On the other hand, it had been very likely every day since the ambush in North Korea.

So what was Tony going to do? He didn't know.

_Kill him._

_Sure, good luck with that._

_Okay then, try to kill him. Then hand the fucker over to Thor._

How long has he been sitting here now? Tony felt stiff. He stood and stretched. Maybe he wasn't as ready to deal with this as he thought. The gym? No. Go find Bruce and paint the town red? Probably not, Bruce would be hiding in a free clinic somewhere being worthy.

Well, that settles it. _I'm off to find a bar._

And, of course, that would be when he elected to appear. Tony stared at Loki like the god was something he'd walked in. "What do you want?"

"I see twelve days have not been enough to dull your temper."

"Where's the key?"

"Hidden."

"You mother fucker. You played me and now you think you can just walk back in?"

Loki sneered. "Oh I played you? You _volunteered_ the information. It was the first thing to fall from those precious lips when I entered the room. The rest of the evening was spent with you trying ham-fistedly to get me to reveal my secrets. And I played you?"

Tony felt his insides squirm. Loki wasn't saying anything Tony hadn't told himself a hundred times. His temper had swung wildly through the two weeks from hating Loki, to hating himself. Because Loki was right, of course.

"Kneel down, boy. We'll put this argument to rest."

"Not going to happen."

Loki looked dangerous. Loki _was_ dangerous and so far Tony had managed to convince himself this was all a game. Just a game which, admittedly, ended in the most mind bending sex he had ever had, but still a game. A game he could walk away from.

"I can make you kneel," Loki warned.

"Try," Tony answered.

_Try?!_ What the hell was he thinking? _I am so fucked._

Tony dove over the sofa as Loki lunged. He ran to the bedroom and wrenched open a drawer. Maybe he wasn't so willing to let Loki silently destroy him. It would explain why since that first night he had hidden the gun in here. He pointed it at Loki as he entered the room.

The man smiled toothily. "You honestly don't think that's going to help you?"

Tony fired, missing Loki's head by an inch. A blot of red, fiery light made a fist size crater in the wall behind Loki. The Trickster turned to view it with a critical air before gazing at Tony sceptically.

Tony shrugged. "Hey, I'm Tony Stark. What, you'd thought I'd have a revolver?"

Loki was silent for a long time. His head was tilted slightly, his eyes narrowed. "Naughty boy. Naughty Tony," he breathed. You could almost see the cogs whirring in his head, behind those emerald green eyes.

Tony kept his aim square on Loki's chest. "I'm not playing anymore Loki. I can't risk-"

"No..." the god breathed, suddenly moving forward, cutting Tony off in the middle of a speech he had spent hours preparing. "I don't think you will."

"Well start thinking it," Tony warned, moving backwards, trying to maintain distance between him and the advancing figure.

_Remember, your mind turns to mush when he gets too close._

"Now I have a whole speech about-"

Loki stopped, his chest pressed against the barrel of the gun. "Warning shots are for those without conviction."

_Fuck the speech! Just shoot him._

Tony's finger stoked the trigger. So many of his problems would go away, right now, in one flash of red. It would probably create a whole new wave of problems, but Tony never considered future problems when making decisions. Why start now?

_Stalemate._

Except it shouldn't be – what was so difficult about this decision? Wasn't this exactly what he should want?

"I'm waiting, boy. Shoot me or kneel."

Tony raised an eyebrow. "You're kidding me, right? Talk about a death wish."

"Shoot me or kneel."

"No."

"No what?"

"I'm not calling you a-"

"No, you won't kneel or no you won't shoot me?"

"The middle one."

"Boy," Loki demanded. Then he sighed. "Tony, please."

The Iron Man's eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"Despite what you may think, Tony Stark, this has not been about… not _entirely_ about taking revenge on my brother by destroying those close to him. That is how it began, but it does not explain why, of them all, I chose you. My theft of the key is not the preliminary step in conquering this world. I did not lie to you, Tony. I... may not have much longer. I enjoy our time together. I don't want it to end yet." Loki gave Tony what was probably his most winning smile to date. "I assure you, you will not have to put up with my attentions for much longer."

"Taking a holiday?" Tony sneered.

"I gambled everything on the Chitauri attack and I lost everything. And there are those who do not take kindly to the failure."

"So you're going to go into hiding?"

"I already am. But he'll find me."

"Who?"

"Thanos is coming for me. I failed him and he does not forgive. He does not forget."

"Who's Thanos?"

"A Titan and one whom I have disappointed greatly." Loki eyes gazed at a middle distance, like it had last time, a look of... intense worry on his face. He sighed and shook his dark head. "No. I will not burden you with this knowledge."

Tony shrugged. "Fine. It's probably a lie anyway."

Loki nodded. "Yes, yes that's right. Believe me to be lying, to be false. Though you must believe that I, without deception, have spent the last few months coveting the moments we share."

Loki's quiet certainty pulled at Tony. The man had a hunted look in his eyes. The god sighed deeply again. He seemed beaten. "I only ask you for a few hours of your time, Tony. I believe what is gained from those hours is mutual. I will not ask you for details on your life as the Iron Man. I never did. What you told me you told me willingly. I did not ask. I would not have asked."

Tony was still angry, but Loki had a point. He had put his foot in it and it was his own fault. It was just easier to be mad with Loki about it than admit he screwed up. But Tony didn't want to back down.

_He's still the bad guy!_

Loki mouth was suddenly pressing against his and hands were creeping under his shirt.

_Oh fuck it._

The gun dropped to the floor, forgotten.

Tony pushed Loki backwards onto the bed and straddled him. For a second, Tony wondered if he was going to get in trouble for this, but Loki seemed happy to let Tony take the lead this time. He looked down over this god he had pinned down beneath him and wondered what to do with him.

He started in the obvious place.

Loki clothes were Asgardian leather, impossible to tear through and disgustingly fiddly to undo.

"I can assist if you-" Loki began, but Tony waved him off.

"No, no, I'll get it. What is this, even? It looks like a clasp but it's not."

"I could just remove my garments by magic."

Tony planted a wet kiss on the skin finally revealed and looked up into Loki's eyes mischievously. "Where would the fun in that be?"

It seemed like an hour before Loki was finally naked. Tony's clothes came off a lot more speedily. His hands grasped own his cock, already semi-hard, rubbing as he gazed down on Loki. He didn't even have to beg.

Loki shuffled out slightly so he had enough space to sit up partly onto his elbow and encompassed the mortal's cock in his warm, wet mouth.

"Oh f- my god," Tony ground out as Loki's mouth moved. God of Mischief, perhaps. But none of the myths ever mentioned the god of deep throating. "God, how do you do that?" Tony wheezed, already far too close to cumming.

Tony had received so many of these, but this one was so much more intense. Loki's mouth was soothingly warm, wet and very, very skilled. _I have to ask him about that later._ His tongue was dancing along every vein in Tony's length. He was sucking hard enough to waver on that line of just too painful. _Talk about suction._

Tony liked it. Tony liked not knowing if he was in pain or pleasure. Tony found he was moaning gently.

Loki head was bouncing up and down smoothly without any jerking or hesitation. In fact everything about his actions screamed a god with all the power, skill and strength to let this go on for as long as Tony needed. _Or until the god got bored, of course._

The hapless genius playboy squirmed, panting, gasping, mewling, thanking Loki over and over again. Loki's powerful hand came up to push a finger very delicately into Tony's ass. Tony gasped and whimpered his thank yous without pausing for breath. His hands balled into fists, his nails almost cutting into his skin with the pressure, forcing himself to stay the passive receiver rather than trying to take over control.

Loki paused slightly to push Tony's legs wide apart. Tony complied without a moment's thought. A warm hand stroked the inside of his thighs gently as the god sucked and licked with every sign of enjoyment. Then he swallowed the cock whole and hummed. The vibrations shivered through Tony's body and sent his senses into merry hell.

"No, no, Loki please, not yet, it's too soon-"

Loki pulled back and moved his mouth down. In one swipe, he ran the flat of his tongue against Tony's balls. Tony shuddered shamelessly. Loki alternated between using the very tip of his tongue to trace the veins, to the flat of his tongue, licking across them forcefully like a giant cat.

Tony had to fight to keep his hands to his sides. Every ounce of willpower he had piled in to fight the climax back despite Loki's attentions. He didn't want to come yet. He couldn't. Loki mouth sucked his ball sac into his mouth and Tony yelled in bliss.

"Oh f- please," he whimpered.

Loki stopped and pulled Tony's head down so he was looking into Loki's eyes. "Does my boy want to come now, or does he want me to play with him for a bit longer?"

"Play, please," Tony whispered. He swallowed, trying to find the strength to ask for what he wanted. What he needed. "Please tie me up."

That surprised Loki. It might have been the first time Tony had seen him surprised. Then a huge smile broke out over his face. "Whatever my boy wants."

Loki sat up, still underneath Tony, and kissed and sucked down his chest. Hands grabbed Tony's wrists and pulled them together. Loki held both wrists together in a gentle but still controlling grip, and his other hand made a complicated movement. Leather cuffs appeared in his hand from nowhere. Tony laughed softly like a child seeing the card popping out of the pack at a magic show.

When his hands were together, Loki pulled him down and laid him across the bed. His hands were once again attached to the bed frame and more cuffs appeared and restrained his ankles. Tony's erection stood out proudly now, bobbing in the air autonomously. Loki lay next to Tony's side, one hand cradling his head kindly and the other hand flicking his nipples with a cruel delight.

"My boy, the faith you've shown is… so very pleasing to your god. But I have to warn you, you will regret not asking to cum when you had the chance."

Tony's eyes were half closed, heavy with lust as he licked his lips. "Well, if I did what was expected of me, you wouldn't want me."

"I'll want you for the rest of eternity, Tony Stark. I only regret that our time will be so short." Loki kissed him hard. His mouth was rough and demanding, his tongue fighting for every inch of him to submit. Tony did willingly, his tongue stroking against Loki's trying to calm the god.

Loki was cruel and wonderful. His attentions would remain on Tony's mouth, nipples, arms and stomach until the man had finally grown still, then he would slide down to play with Tony's cock and balls, sometimes slipping his finger inside to pump for a while.

Near the very edge of Tony's climax, Loki would return to his top half and dominate his mouth while Tony cried with the unbearable anxiety. It could have been half an hour, or hours, or days. Tony would never know. Finally, Loki moved so he was lying between Tony's legs. The complete shift in position gave Tony hope that it was finally over. Tony swore bitterly as again he was made to wait.

"Shh, boy. Patience." Loki's mouth played with Tony's balls, one finger pressing into him and finger fucking him to the knuckle. Tony's hips bucked into the finger. Loki immediately withdraw and Tony howled.

"Boy, I am attempting to create art and your thrashing about is putting me off. Remain still." Loki spoke soothingly, but firmly. Tony nodded violently, unconscious tears falling down his face.

Loki returned to what he was doing. Neither of them really expected Tony to be able to stop moving in this situation. In fact, Loki would have been vehemently offended had his little mortal not flailed about like a wanton whore at his attentions, but Tony forced himself to reduce it to nothing more than squirming.

Loki smiled. The squirming he liked.

The Asgardian seemed finally ready to allow Tony his climax. Loki's hand slid up and down Tony's shaft and Tony choked and sobbed, fighting not to thrust up.

"Let go, boy. Just enjoy it."

And Tony was squirming, writhing and bucking furiously, letting himself go knowing no matter what he did, Loki would have his way. As controlling as that sounded, it actually gave Tony more freedom than he ever could have hoped for.

"I'm-I'm going-I'm going," Tony choked.

"Please do," Loki whispered kindly. Tony came hard and the blackness crept into his vision as he let out a long whimpering whine.

When he woke, his body sore, used and his mind full of cobwebs, he looked around blearily. Loki had cleaned him up delicately and was gone. Tony gritted his teeth and thumped the bed hard with a fist. "That fucking, stupid, sorry shitting son of a fucking bitch!" he growled.

Jarvis's voice emanated in the bedroom. "Sir, might I advise caution? Your guest is still in the penthouse."

"He's what?"

A few minutes later, once Tony had remembered how to walk and found a robe, he dragged his legs to the door and opened it.

Loki was staring out the window, his arms crossed and one hand patting his lips with delicate fingers. At the sound of the door he glanced over briefly at Tony and looked away. "Apologies. I had meant to leave before you awoke, but I fear my mind wandered."

_I don't want you to leave!_

Tony rubbed his eyes slightly, trying to fight his way back into Tony Stark mode. "Jarvis, what time is it?"

"Two twenty five in the very early morning, sir."

"Too late to find a good party, too early to start drinking." Tony said with a shrug. "What's your rush?"

"From the beginning I came here for a purpose; to destroy every inch of your beautiful body. If I stay any longer, we may talk. I will… not be able to resist finding a way to use what you may tell me against you and your team."

"We don't have to talk," Tony said.

Maybe he was punch drunk on the sex from last night. Maybe it was because he wasn't getting a lot of sleep lately. But he had never in his life felt as sexy as this. He had always been aware of his body. He was sexy and sophisticated and had never minded showing the world. Come on, he's Tony Stark and he knows it!

But he had never felt as… there were no words for it.

The playboy's eyes wandered up and down Loki's form. "I don't seem to remember you…" Tony smiled and shrugged.

Loki leered back. "My boy, did you think I could have watched that little performance of yours and held out?"

"So you did?"

"Hum… all over that fine stomach."

"I'm sorry I missed it," Tony said, intending it to be sarcastic but realising half way in that he meant it. "I wish I didn't keep passing out. I always miss the good bits. Maybe a re-enactment is called for?"

Loki looked back out of the window for the longest time and then smiled gently. He shimmered and his clothes disappeared. He turned back to Tony and eyed him cynically. "Well now, this hardly seems fair."

Tony took a second to understand, then grinned and dropped his robe on the floor.

"And what does my boy want to do?"

"I don't think I've been punished in a while. And I have been so very bad."


	12. Chapter 12: Conclusions

Tony glared at the screen in front of him, safely hidden away in his lab a few floors below the penthouse. The Avengers were becoming, if possible, even more routine. Where were all the big bad guys who were supposed to be coming after then? That's what Tony wanted to know.

To make matters worse, Loki hadn't appeared now for more than a week and it had pulled him up with a sharp jerk out of the fantasy life he had been gently gliding though.

_Loki's had his fun. He's gone. _

_Told you._

No matter how hard he tried, his mind kept pulling him back to their last night, almost a week and three days ago. Loki had been in a… disciplinarian mood. Gone were the whispered _dears_ and _darling_s to be replaced by harsh command and swift punishment when Tony failed to comply quickly enough. It had been _retribution_ Loki called it, for aiming a gun at him and not intending to use it.

Tony found he was smiling. That had been a fun evening. Tony had assured him he _had_ meant to use the gun. Loki had got so mad with him when he had told him were to stick his orders. After being beaten into a shuddering heap, he had been forced into the bed so hard, so roughly that they had broken one of the legs of the frame. When Tony came, his scream adding to the sound of a collapsing bed; it had been like fireworks in his mind.

The bed was wobbling alarmingly now and Jarvis had already ordered a new frame. Something a little sturdier…

What the hell was wrong with him? He was hard for Loki already, and the fucking drama queen wasn't even in the room.

Tony sighed and slipped his hand down beneath his trousers. He rubbed gently, conjuring up in this imagination Loki's wet mouth on his neck. Tony was a hedonist and lived for what he could get. But he had always been in control. Now, he was beginning to find so much more intense pleasure in abandoning that control.

Tony opened his eyes in vague disappointment. No matter what, it wouldn't feel as good without-

"Shit," he exclaimed, jumping back and almost falling over his chair. His back slammed up against a car. "I need you get you a fucking bell!" he shouted at the smiling figure of Loki.

Loki was standing, his arms folded in front of him, smirking delightedly at Tony's reaction. "Language, dear," he said coolly, warningly.

"A bell! Right around your neck so I can hear you coming. Fuck!" Tony rubbed his chest, alarmed at how his heart was throbbing… and deeply excited by the fear.

_I'm just going to say this again – there's something seriously wrong with you._

"Where have you been? You can't just disappear for days on end like that!" Tony snapped, and then regretted it immediately.

_Great, now you sound like a teenage girl._

"I can't?" Loki said, his smirk growing broader. "Did my boy miss me?"

"Like a hole in the head," Tony growled, turning away.

He returned to his workbench, his whole demeanour saying 'you're not more important than my work' and it usually worked. Except Loki would have to be blind to the colour in Tony's face, his panting and the very visible –

Loki grabbed the tenting in Tony's jeans and squeezed firmly. Enough to be exciting, enough to demand it be taken as a warning.

"Careful now, my little one. I have not had a good day. So I come to spend some hours with my darling boy. Now that time can be pleasant or excruciating. All I promise is that it will be pleasurable and painful and for as long as _I_ want."

"Woke up on the wrong side of the bed, did we?" snapped Tony. "Where have you been?"

"Busy."

"With what?"

"Matters arising," Loki snarled cryptically.

He was getting angry fast, as he always did these days. Tony sighed sadly. He felt Anthony Stark slipping away. He felt the Iron Man slipping away. It was the only way that he could still be clothed, still upright, and yet naked on his knees before Loki.

_I don't want to fight._

Tony pressed back against Loki. "I've missed you. I think I deserve a little something. You have made me wait."

"You deserve nothing but what I choose to give."

Tony closed his eyes and gave into what he knew he wanted. _Why the fuck not?_ "But I've been a good boy, my god. I think I deserve a treat."

Loki went silent for a while. Then he grabbed Tony's arm and led him back up to the bedroom, with that vaguely awkward pause in the middle as the elevator took them up.

"Undress."

Tony did, quicker than he cared to admit to himself.

"Lie on the bed."

Tony lay down, his head on a pillow. Loki was quickly unclothed and pressed over him. They kissed long and lazily, tongues fighting for dominance. While Loki's hands ran over Tony's body possessively, Tony's remained fixed at his side, though balled into fists with the effort.

Of Loki's many lessons, that one had been particularly enforced. If he didn't want to be handcuffed, he would only touch when allowed. Last time he disobeyed, a knife had appeared at his throat. It was a lesson Tony had decided to learn sooner rather than later.

Loki pulled back. He looked calmer now, his eyes wide with that inspiring lust he wore about him when every Tony was naked.

Tony licked his lips and whispered hoarsely, "Where have you been?"

"I had to... prepare."

"For what?"

"And what have the Avengers been doing of late?" Loki asked pointedly.

Tony bit his tongue. Loki had a point. It's your classic don't ask, don't tell situation. Though in rather different and weirder circumstances.

Instead, Tony leaned up and pressed his lips against Loki's neck. "I want to touch you."

"No."

"Pretty please?" Tony said, in such a swaggering tone. Tony couldn't help it; the cockiness was so written into his DNA that even Loki with all his tricks probably couldn't budge it.

Loki smacked him hard in the face but said nothing. Somehow, Tony was beginning to wonder how interested Loki would actually be in this game if it was truly a forgone conclusion he'd win.

Loki tongue was exploring his body, rolling over every muscle, sweeping over every inch of skin. It was almost like he was doing a forensic investigation of every nerve in Tony, noting when the boy gasped and groaned. Tony could almost picture Loki's mind filing away the information for future, not wholly pleasant, use.

In fact, Tony was so caught up in the moment, that when Loki's throat suddenly engulfed Tony's cock down to the root he could barely believe it was happening.

"Fucking-"

Loki was immediately off his cock and slapping him hard in the face again. "You finally get the reward you've been pining for like a little whore, and you throw it away now? I can hardly say that I have met many others who would do the same."

_What was this guy's problem with swearing? _"I'm sorry," Tony croaked.

"No, I think the moment's passed. Don't you?" Loki was always in such a mood lately that Tony was almost certain that he'd move on and leave Tony in this state.

"No!" Tony was up, burying his face in Loki's shoulder. "You can't- please. Your mouth felt so good, so good, Loki come on! Don't stop."

"What do we say?"

Tony growled with a shudder and said, fighting back the sarcasm, "Please."

Loki was petting his hair. Even after few months into this… this dream or nightmare, the petting was still a sure way to wind him up. Loki knew it too. Loki was pushing. "Tell me what you are."

Tony grit his teeth. "I'm a good boy."

"And tell me who I am."

"You're my god."

"Lie back down."

Tony slumped back in relief, the tension leaving his body as the hot mouth swallowed him whole again. It was so good; Tony had needed it for such a long time. Loki held his hips still with all his weight and just sucked hard, his head bobbing back and forth. Tony felt like he was sucking out his entire body though his cock.

"How do you do that?" Tony breathed.

Loki pulled away and Tony caught a cry in his throat. "How long can a Midgardian hold their breath for?" he asked curiously.

"What?" Tony said, a little annoyed at having to stop and play twenty questions in the middle of a blow job. "I don't know. A minute? Two?"

Loki nodded slightly to himself, bending down to lick the head of Tony's length like a cat. Tony whimpered. "That explains much," the god mused softly. He looked up with a nasty smile. "And here I thought that you were merely being lazy. A thousand pardons, I ask you."

Tony snorted, annoyed. "Oh I suppose _gods_ can hold their breath for longer?"

"Of course."

"How long?"

Loki paused, a wicked little smile breaking out over his face. Tony shivered when he saw it, it did not bode well. "My pretty boy, you are so fond of your science, let me present this as a little experiment. I demonstrate. _You_ tell me how long."

Before Tony could reply, Loki pressed Tony's cock all the way into his mouth and throat.

Tony yowled, gasping, his eyes wide and his legs trying to kick out as his body tried to handle the extreme sensation. Loki held it, humming, his tongue teasing Tony's scrotum. Tony's mouth opened silently in please, the round black O his lips created perfect in Loki's eyes.

Tony shuddered, half miserably, half in relief as Loki pulled away.

The god licked his lips and asked in a professional tone of voice, "Now. How long was that?"

Tony blinked blurrily. "I… don't…"

"Ah. Well. We shall simply have to do it again."

_Fine by me!_

Tony didn't even bother to solve Loki's riddle, much preferring to feel it again and again. But he soon came to regret it as Loki refused to allow his orgasm, insisting that he answer. Tony gibbered and begged and flailed for a long time before finally forcing himself to play Loki's insane game.

Counting the seconds in his head, focusing on anything else but the tight, warm, wet heat engulfing his most sensitive part, he very, very nearly had the answer on several occasions, but would be thrown off at the last minute by the evil bastard pushing a finger into him.

"It's not fair!" Tony found himself complaining like a child.

Loki just laughed.

_Well, at least his fucking mood has improved. How do I end up dating the only guy with the Jotun equivalent of PMT?_

A long while later, Tony finally had the answer; that an Asgardian or Ice Giant, whatever, can comfortably do without oxygen for five minutes. Loki finished Tony quickly after that. The god moaned enjoyably as Tony climaxed spasming and writhing on the bed.

Tony looked up murkily, clawing his way out of the orgasmic haze, as Loki licked his lips. "Very nice, boy."

"Thank you," Tony whimpered, responding automatically to the compliment like a well trained puppy.

Loki smiled approvingly.

_Did you say thank you? For Loki enjoying the taste of... ew, Tony. Wake up. There were a thousand jokes you could have made there._

Loki didn't really give him that opportunity in any case. His knees were straddling Tony's head, and his cock pushed into his mouth without any preamble. Every day Tony was growing more excited about giving Loki blowjobs. There was something so… satisfying about hearing the god screaming his name.

But this way didn't excite Tony so much. His head was held down by the weight of the god and his mouth was thrust into hard and fast. There wasn't an opportunity for Tony to show off his skills. He just had to lie there, try to angle his head to take as much of the cock as possible and pray Loki didn't suffocate him before he was done. It was a pure act of dominance; Loki didn't so much as even look at him while he did it.

Loki began to thrust hard and Tony was already choking. But he reasoned that if this was the price of a blowjob from the god of Tricksters… he could bear it. It seemed Loki had needed this badly and it wasn't long until he was cumming hard. Tony gagged slightly but swallowed.

It was pretty uneventful on the whole. Loki hadn't even seemed that bothered when it was his turn, but had taken the better part of half an hour teasing his boy.

Loki sat back onto Tony's stomach, his eyes fluttering open as he ran a hand back through his black hair almost regally. A comfortable silence fell between them.

Loki gazed down on Tony lazily. Tony felt a drop he had missed running down his lip. He licked, catching it. The unthinking act triggered a soft groan from the god on top of him. A hand stretched out and rubbed Tony's cheek with long pale smooth fingers.

"Such a good boy."

"Why are you always calling me boy?"

"Because you are. So young, so innocent. So much in need of guidance and protection."

"I'm not a boy."

"How old are you, Tony?"

Tony glared. "Late thirties," he muttered disagreeably. This age wasn't a subject he really cared to discuss.

"And I am a little over one thousand years."

Tony felt his mouth open slightly before his natural cynicism took over. "Doesn't that just make you an old man?"

Loki slapped him hard round the face, but there was a smile playing across his thin lips. Tony returned the smile with no smile amount of cheekiness.

To Tony's disappointment, Loki's face suddenly went harsh again.

Tony groaned inwardly. _Great. Mood swing._

"Why aren't you fighting?" Loki asked, angrily.

"What?"

"Why are you suddenly being so…" Loki rolled his eyes, running his fingers through his hair again. It was almost a way of gathering himself. "I should have killed you the first time."

Tony's eyebrows shot up. Nice thing to hear when lying naked under a psycho god. "Well," he said wryly. "If memory serves, you gave it your best shot."

Loki looked away, pensive and unhappy again. He shook his head, leaned in and kissed Tony gently. Then he pushed the billionaire on his side and dropped onto the bed beside him, their chests pressing together.

Tony paused, but nothing else happened. Loki's eyes closed after a minute, one of his hands resting on Tony's hip.

Tony cleared his throat. "So… you're staying?"

"Yes."

_Well how do you answer that?_ "Okay."

Tony moved to roll onto his other side, but Loki's powerful arms were pulling him back round and holding him tight against his chest again. The playboy protested briefly, complaining that he found it hard to sleep like this.

Which was true, Loki's naked cock pressing up against Tony's did all sorts of haywire things to his brain. Not to mention trying to sleep when he could feel Loki's eyes unblinking staring at his face. Creepy.

But all his struggling earned him was a hard smack to his naked backside.

"Quiet, boy. Go to sleep."

Tony woke slowly in the morning, clean and clear light flooding into the room. They were still pressed together, but Tony had shifted in his sleep and was free from the powerful arms. He felt Loki's body against his back and it gave him a pleasurable little shudder. Despite Tony's outward lone wolf persona, he found it difficult to deny that he enjoyed waking up in a bed with someone.

Okay, maybe not sticking around for them to wake up, but it was the waking up alone which got to him.

He turned carefully. Loki seemed asleep. He seemed so very peaceful like this, his face relaxed and smooth of worry lines and smirks. Tony was drawn to the gentleness, but also repelled slightly. The Loki in his dreams was not so… innocent looking. And sad.

Tony pulled himself out of the bed carefully, grabbing some clothes and leaving as quietly as he could.

_How many times have you done this?_

_I stopped counting years ago._

_First time I've done it to a god though. That's got to be something._

Of course, nowadays, nothing was like it used to be. Pepper would already be throwing them out by now. Tony made it down to his lab but not too long after he had started his project, Loki made his appearance.

The god found him in his lab half under a car. AC/DC's 'Shoot to Thrill' was blaring into the white, shining room as Tony worked. Loki looked up with disdain. "Desist the _sound_, voice in the wall," he said warning.

Jarvis turned off the music. Tony frowned and called out, "Jarvis, I thought we removed that Trojan virus."

"We did, sir. I still thought it was best."

Tony felt himself moving as the wheeled board he was lying on was pulled out from under the car. Tony looked down and found Loki's foot between his legs. When he was completely out from under, it was to see a rather annoyed Loki above him.

"Morning," Tony said with a cocky smile.

"It displeases me not to find you in the bed," Loki said disapprovingly. There was a warning flash in his eyes.

"There's something wrong with the electronics," Tony said, standing up and indicating the car as though it were an explanation. At any minute he was expecting a punishment. His body was almost tensing for it. "I think there's a short somewhere that's stopping the-"

Loki pressed up against his back. Tony flinched, but pressed his hips into him as Loki's hands stroked down on his waist. "Loki, you flirt," Tony said playfully.

"I must leave."

_I knew it._

Tony turned angrily. "What, because I wanted to work on the car?"

"Because I have to work on my car," Loki said tactfully.

The rules of how far they talked about things had been tried and tested and after the Bifröst thing, it had all turned very... tactful. Tony didn't want to talk to Loki about the Avengers, Loki didn't speak on his plans to take over the world and neither wanted to bullshit lie to each other.

But Tony couldn't help himself. "Thanos?"

Loki looked away and didn't answer.

"When will you be-" _Don't you dare ask that! Because you don't care, remember? Try to have some pride, right now, while he's clearly too miserable to do anything about it._

Tony took his gaze from Loki and forced it back to the light screen instead. "Fine. See ya."

But Loki pulled his face around. "Kiss me, boy."

Tony tried to pull away, but Loki's grip on his jaw was too strong. "Why?"

"Do you need me to threaten? Because I will break your legs if you don't."

Tony glared, leaned in and kissed Loki. He shuddered with pleasure, almost panting as Loki's tongue pushed in. But it was brief. Loki was already turning away and evaporating like he hadn't been there at all.

_Fuck him._

He turned his attention to trying to locate the problem with car. Various blueprints were flashing in front of him but he wasn't looking at them. _Fuck_. Turning back to the car, he pulled himself underneath again.

"Play. And Jarvis, don't do what he tells you. Ever."

"Yes Sir."

_Fucking Loki_.

Tony was the billionaire playboy here. He was the most powerful guy in the room. Tony skips out the bed before Loki could wake up, giving the bastard a taste of his own medicine. So the guy just leaves.

_I hate him._

_I hope he does get fucked over by this Thanos dude._

For the second time in the hour, Tony found himself being pulled out from under his car. "Son of a bitch!" he sighed as the exposed circuit he had been working on disappeared from overhead. He thought he had been _that close_ to solving the problem, even with that last kiss messing up his brain.

This time, it was Bruce and the other Odin boy appearing above him as he was rolled out. "Tony, we have to talk."

Tony grabbed the car and tried to pull himself back under. "Not in. Leave a message."

But it was impossible to fight the strength Thor exerted on the automotive creeper, holding him where he was. In fact, Tony could hear the wheels squeaking in protest as Thor, as usual, vastly under estimated his strength.

Tony looked up and saw... what? They were serious, but then again, they were both usually serious. "So… hi...?"

Bruce gave him a warning glance before saying, "Thor has... got it into his head to be worried about you."

"Why?"

Thor looked wary. "Something my brother said when we spoke in Shanghai."

Tony paused. The trick here was not jumping to conclusions. Conclusions would get him into trouble. "About me?"

"My brother has always had an... obsessive personality. He has tried to kill you twice now and I fear he plans a third time."

"What did he say?"

"It is not important."

Tony cocked an eyebrow, crossing his arms petulantly. "Well I disagree." He stared up at the two, as haughtily as any man could on the floor.

"Do you want to get up?" Bruce asked, amused.

"I'm good."

Tony dislodged Thor's foot with a mild kick to his shin and rolled himself back under the car. "Come on, Point Break. Kill me?" Tony called out while he reconnected some wiring. "What's in it for Loki? Bruce, just flick the switch _next_ to the red one – not the red one! I'd ask the robot arms to do it, but I don't trust them. Dumb and Dumber. Dumb would flick the wrong switch and electrocute me and Dumber would cover me in fire extinguisher."

Thor ploughed on as Bruce activated the switch and Tony tried to judge if the fault had been corrected. "He would not kill you. Not at first. I fear that he would use you to get to me."

"Not everything's about you," Tony said, a little exasperated.

"Where my brother is concerned, I fear it is so."

Tony grumbled for himself. _It's true. When Loki is fucking you, he's actually fucking Thor._

_Don't picture that!_

Fault finally fixed to Starks satisfation, he screwed the panel back into place. He hauled himself out, brushed himself down and threw the tool back into the box. He turned to see two sets of concerned eyes on him. "So, what did ol' crazy say?"

Thor shrugged vaguely. "Something along the lines that…" he glanced sideways at Bruce, clearly the brains of the operation, who gave him an encouraging nod. "He said he'd be seeing you again soon."

He rolled his eyes. "For the love of all things small and fluffy, Thor, I don't care. If you and Fury are right, then everything in the universe seems to be coming after us right now. Loki is the least of our problems."

"He's dangerous," Bruce said warning. His eyes opened a little wider, pointedly. "You know better than most what he can do."

Tony's answering glare drew a slightly ashamed response from Bruce. Let's just hope Thor thinks about the window incident and doesn't make any startling leaps in intelligence.

"Did you two come here just to let me know Loki's dangerous? Message received. And what's the solution?"

"Bruce is concerned you are not taking your well being seriously."

"Bruce, I love you man, but you're a well-meaning idiot. And you, Blondie. You're both well-meaning idiots. And Steve. I'm surrounded by simple, well-meaning halfwits." Tony rolled his eyes and stalked to his computer. "Really, guys, thanks. But if Loki pops up, he pops up. Unless you've got a plan to stop him, this is pointless. Come on. Let's go out," Tony said, saying it as a distraction, though suddenly warming to the idea. "What do normal people do? The cinema? Let's go to the cinema and see... something."

"James Bond?" Bruce said, suddenly alert and keen.

Tony spread his arms. "Anything for you, man. Sure, James Bond it is. You'll love it Thor, there's lots of fighting."


	13. Chapter 13: Remember

James Bond. Thor loved it. Bruce loved it. Tony thought a little dull.

After all travelling in style, saving the world, beautiful women and swagger; what did James Bond have that Tony didn't? Not to mention both were arrogant, often self-serving bastards who managed to get those around them killed. And he could pull of a tux better than Daniel Craig ever could.

The three outcasts of the Avengers went for a drink afterwards. Just boys out on the town... until a phone call summoned Thor away. Jane. He gave the pair one of those smiles which all men of strong women have. The half manly exclamation of 'I'm a bloke and I don't get told what to do by no woman' combined with 'still, I'd better go or she'll get mad'.

"It is a fine thing to have the love of such a woman," Thor said, downing his mug and pulling on his jacket. At least when they were out and about like this, Thor wore civvies so Tony didn't have to drink in this rather shady bar with a man in his mother's drapes. "I believe you both should find another like her. It would do you well."

"I had one like her," Tony pointed out.

"Me too," muttered Bruce. "Didn't end well." He had been persuaded into a few drinks and now he looked a little under the weather. Alcohol didn't sit well with him.

Thor smiled sympathetically and left.

"Ah, look at his little face. He's so happy," Tony said, tongue in cheek. He turned back to his friend. "Isn't it enough to make you hurl?"

"I think I will," Bruce whined dismally. He looked up through tired eyes. "You've found someone."

"What?"

"Don't mess with me, it's so obvious. You've been so... like Thor. Happy."

Tony drank his beer for a moment, gathering his thoughts. He shrugged. "Sure. But I'd hardly describe... _her_ as the centre of my being, light of my life and all that shit."

"You've been different since you've been with her."

"I don't think so. I'm Tony Stark. I don't change."

"When you realized what your weapons were doing to people, you stopped. You lost millions."

Tony smiled, leaning over. He pulled his t-shirt down slightly. Blue light momentarily lit his face. "And created the arc reactor. My company is worth twice as much now."

"You do it for mankind."

"I do it because it's making me a hell of a lot of money."

Bruce rubbed his face. "No, no. You don't. Why are you saying this?"

Tony took pity on the guy. "I'm just... starting to wonder. I don't want to be labelled with all this hero bullshit. I'm still a self-centred bastard and industrialist. I am the American dream, baby."

"What happened to that little speech you gave? Genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist?"

"There's one thing on that list that's not like the others. Philanthropist was the afterthought. You don't have billionaire philanthropists. Not really. And don't you go waving Bill Gates at me. He's a bore. And never comes to my parties. And he sounds like Kermit the Frog. No wonder he pays out so much to worthy causes, it's to make sure no one calls him Kermit the Frog."

Bruce shook his head, finishing his beer. "I'm the one who turns into a monster and you doubt if you're a hero?"

"I've been… pondering lately."

"Well stop it."

"I ponder, Bruce. It's what I do."

Bruce muttered something and stood, probably heading for a bathroom to heave. And immediately stumbled backwards as the effect of alcohol took over. Tony was up on his feet, helping Bruce back up but the small man had already knocked against a large, heavy, tattooed biker.

The thug turned and shoved Bruce backwards. "Watch where you're walking, fucker!"

"Sorry," Bruce mumbled, backing away.

The Biker made a move to follow but Tony stepped between them. "Ease up there, Hell's Angel."

Tony groaned inwardly as the guy's friends suddenly took notice. These types weren't the smartest knives in the drawer. More like the bluntest spoons and that had been before they had liquored up for the night.

They were circling now. Out of the corner of his eye he saw the barmen taking down the more valuable bottles. Not a good sign. Barmen could read a room better than a conference of psychiatrists.

"Hey, I know who you are!" One of them said. Tony was shoved hard and knocked back into Bruce. "You're the Iron Man!"

"Who me? Nah."

"Show us the jet pack then," another laughed.

The one that had shoved Tony, who looked like the kind who probably had a nickname like Mad Dog, pulled out a knife. Another, let's call him Junkyard Joe, pulled out a gun. And without his suit, Tony was just a guy in a three hundred dollar jacket. Of all the Avengers, he had nothing but his genius which made for poor armour against a blade.

_Well, do what you do best. Play for time._

"Listen guys, you're looking for a fight and I was just looking for a drink. Let's not go crazy here."

"Tony," Bruce whispered. Tony turned to see his friend in considerable distress. His skin was shuddering, morphing. Green.

"Let's _not_ go crazy, I said." Tony looked at the shuddering man with no small amount of fear. "Keep it together, Bruce!" Tony snapped.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Please, don't let me kill anyone-"

"What's the fuck wrong with him?" Junkyard Joe demanded.

Tony turned. "Don't order the fish," he said wryly. He turned back to his hapless friend. "Keep it together, Bruce, come on!" Tony snapped again.

_Great._ All he had wanted to do was go out to a cinema and grab a few drinks with the mates. Why couldn't anything go right?

The thug with the knife was close now. Tony had to tilt his head back to see him. "So, Mad Dog – can I call you Mad Dog? I have to know, why the tattoos? And where do you get them? I mean, did they have a 'buy three get the fourth one half price' thing going on?"

The thug's eyes flashed dangerously.

"I'm just staying, because you've got a lot of them. Or hadn't you noticed? I can imagine you not noticing is all I'm saying. You don't seem that bright."

The sneers in front of him turned to terror. Tony didn't need to turn; he could feel the hairs on the back of his neck prickling as a shadow grew around him, blocking out the dull light of the bar. People at nearby tables turned and screamed. There was a roar.

"Well this is just great," he sighed.

People ran desperately for the door amidst the clatters and bangs of tables and chair knocked to the floor. Junkyard Joe fired a shot or two, before throwing it to the ground and fleeing. Mad Dog, who had shoved Tony and drawn the knife, wasn't fast enough.

A green hand grabbed him by a leg and threw him across the room. The black leathered thug pinwheeled like a thrown doll, crashed into the bottles lining the shelves and fell to the floor.

Tony winced.

The bar emptied in seconds after that.

Tony finally turned, staring at the green bulbous creature carefully. He wasn't attacking - since the Avengers had provided the Hulk with an outlet, his control over the indiscriminate destruction had been far better.

But it was still difficult to gauge what tiny thing might make him go haywire again. Once during training, a seemingly under control Hulk had flipped out and tried to tear a solider apart because the guy had sneezed.

Tony pulled back a laugh. Okay, he still found that funny. But only because the guy had screamed like a girl and run for the hills.

Even in this 'calm' state the Hulk growled furiously and smashed a fist down on the bar, cracking it in two. The creature roared at Tony and Tony felt the force of it sway his body backwards briefly.

He waited. When the Hulk finally stopped, he said, "Finished?"

The beast snorted.

"Okay. Now, I'm not sure how this works – the balance between you two. Clearly some sort of Jekyll and Hyde business going on, am I right? But as you can see," he said, throwing his arms out wide, gesturing at the empty room, "there's no one left to smash."

The Hulk turned beady black eyes on him.

"Erm... Maybe there is."

Tony walked away, keeping his hands clearly by his sides. "Come on, Bruce. I know you're in there man. You won't hurt me."

The Hulk roared again, grabbing a pool table and throwing it past Tony. It smashed with a heart breaking sound and took out a window. A table was picked up and this time Tony had to duck. That took out another window.

"You know, they're going to make me pay for that."

His heart tightened as he heard sirens in the background. He had to get Bruce out of here and quickly. He ducked another table and it very nearly got him this time.

"Bruce!" Tony shouted.

The mass of green doubled up, shuddered and recoiling. The body pulled in, turning pale and small. Bruce collapsed to his knees, naked and shivering.

Tony did his best not to stare. He cleared his throat. "Well… you're completely naked."

"You're not dead," Bruce said with unashamed relief.

Tony glanced around and the room and the obvious hit him. He smiled, jumping over the bar and pulling the jacket off the unconscious Mad Dog. He held it up sceptically. "Well, it'll swamp you a bit. But think how bad-ass you'll look. You could totally pull of a name like Maverick in this."

"I should go."

Tony caught the tone. "Go where?" he caused casually.

Bruce didn't answer. He was retreating in on himself. Closing up.

Tony didn't like it. _Friends_. He could count his real, true friends on one hand. Probably no more than four. Bruce was one. Tony could understand Bruce in a way that the doctor hadn't found most people could understand. They shared an… inner sadness. A fear of what they may secretly be.

Tony hadn't been feeling so sad recently. He was beginning to pull through that stage of his life and into something new and exciting. He could finally begin to take himself out of himself… if that made sense.

And now Tony realised that, sitting on the dirty floor there, was an exposed, sad and scared _friend_ Tony would move mountains for.

As the sirens became louder, Tony dropped the jacket and trousers in front of the man and turned to keep an eye on the windows. "That'll do you until I can get you back to Stark Tower. I've got some stuff you can have."

"Tony, I should-"

"Chop chop, Maverick."

The pair only just managed to avoid the police, thankfully. But everyone knew of the Hulk now. It made it difficult to really cover anything up. The papers were full of it for weeks after.

Bruce stayed a few days in the Tower after the bar incident which was good. SHIELD had descended on them the next morning and Bruce had been put through the twenty questions. Tony had… ha ha, _shielded_ Bruce as best he could, but his attempts were blown out of the water by the idiot himself.

"They pulled a knife on Tony. What was I supposed to do?" Bruce snapped.

When the agents had left after giving them a real talking to, Tony glared at Bruce. "Okay, I was dealing with that just fine until you _helped_."

"I just told the truth."

"Now what do I keep telling you about that?" Tony said in mock parental tones. "Never, ever tell the truth if you can get away with it."

Bruce smiled, chuckling slightly. "You're a good friend, Tony," he said quietly.

Tony shrugged. Bruce smiled again and glanced around, something clearly on his mind. "Can I?"

The billionaire smiled back, knowing exactly what Bruce wanted. "Sure, go and play in the toy pen," he said. A pet name for the lab. It was nice to have a man around who understood that as well as Tony.

When the lift doors had closed on Bruce, Tony turned and walked into Loki. He barely had time to curse angrily before strong hands grabbed his arms and threw him into a chair.

"I tire of waiting for the beast to depart!" Loki snapped angrily. "I will not allow it here."

Tony opened his mouth, the sheer weight of what he wanted to bark at the bastard temporarily catching in his throat. He was so irate he didn't know what to spit first. Tony was back in his feet before the god could corner him on the chair.

"He's not an _it_. He's not a _beast_. He can be here if he wants to be. Anyone _I want_ can be here, it's my fucking tower! It's got nothing to do with you, so you just get the fuck out of here in case he comes back!"

"No. I demand your subservience. Now!"

"You fucking little arrogant little-" Tony stopped the words in mid-flow.

Loki was tired and haggard. He looked ill and worn. Tony had never seen him like this before. He had been looking more fatigued, getting more demanding and angrier every time he had turned up for the last few weeks.

Tony stared at the ill figure. "What are you planning?"

Loki looked away distractedly. "Get on your knees. Crawl to the bed room."

"Loki, what's happening?"

"You will serve me."

"Loki-"

"Because you want me," the god ended quietly.

Tony opened his mouth to protest, sighed and laughed slightly, throwing up his hands in surrender. "Yeah. I do."

Loki's eyes snapped onto his, flashing green. "Crawl."

"Is there any way we can do this without me having to make a complete idiot out of myself?"

"Would that turn you on as much?"

_I hate it when the little shit is right._

Tony sighed. "Jarvis, please stop Bruce coming up here. Make an excuse."

"Yes sir."

Tony couldn't believe he was about to do this. Everything screamed at him not to. Something was happening with Loki and he needed to know what. He wanted to get Loki to open up. He wanted to… Tony blinked incredulously at himself. But he did. He _wanted_ to make Loki feel better.

_Fuck._

He dropped to his knees and crawled.

Tony felt all the blood rushing to his cheeks and chest as the painful mortification made him cringe. He had to force every movement, purposefully raising each hand and pulling himself forward. Bile and resentment was filling his mouth, his head pounded with fury and stress. It was excruciating, humiliating, debasing.

Tony shuddered as he crawled across the floor. Nothing more than an animal at Loki's feet… the act was arousing him desperately. He swallowed, picturing Loki's view of him and a strained moan forced out of his chest, more of a harsh breath out than a sound.

When he finally made it to the room, he stopped at the foot of the bed, sitting back on his legs and waited. He found himself squirming slightly as his body reminded him exactly how it felt about this humiliation. Loki walked in behind him and shut the door firmly.

"Loki, what's wrong?"

"Strip."

"Loki-"

"Now."

Tony pulled off each garment slowly. "Is it something against the Avengers? Is that why you won't tell me?"

Loki didn't answer. Not directly. "I want to taste you. I don't know when… if we will again."

_This is going to stop?_

Tony felt his insides turning to ice. He stood, dropping the last of his clothes and glared at Loki. _I just crawled and now he's won and he's going to leave._

_Pease don't take this from me, I was finally happy! Fucked up and fucked over, but happy about it._

He didn't say it, though the words screamed in his chest. They were burning so hard Tony wouldn't have been surprised if there were visible on his face. He said instead, "If you come after my friends, I will kill you."

"Your friends will not be harmed if they do not attempt to stop me."

"But that's what we do! We're the people who stop people like you!"

Loki sneered nasty. "Elegantly put, boy."

Loki was swaying slightly. He seemed out of it, like he hadn't been sleeping or eating. He looked defeated. The god shuddered and walked over to the bed, sitting down heavily. His eyes closed slightly.

Tony stood, unsure of what to do.

There was a long silence.

"Loki-"

"Do not speak anymore."

"Well I'm gonna. You look like shit. You're planning something and if you're coming after SHIELD, after my friends, then I have to stop you."

"Why is the _thing_ here?"

Tony raised a hand to hit Loki but forced at back down again. Loki looked darkly satisfied.

"Bruce is in a bad place. I'm helping him."

"How?"

"What do you mean?"

Loki smiled, his eyes tired but his smile deadly. "Do you get on your knees for him?" he whispered.

Tony glared. "Fuck you. Fuck you and your head games, you prick! No, I don't. He's a _friend_. I can't imagine you'd have any of those."

_Look who's talking. You're delighted because you've suddenly got maybe four._

"Will he be your new god when I am gone? I can't imagine the beast would be as creative as I, but you do get so desperate for your punishments. Pain is pain after all. I'm sure you'd cum as hard if the cock is green rather than blue."

Tony grabbed a robe and was half way to the bathroom when he heard from the bed a muttered, "Don't. Please."

Tony turned with fire in his eyes. Loki was standing again, but wobbly.

_There's something so wrong with him._

_I don't fucking care._

"How the fuck do you think you have any right to talk to me like that?"

Loki stared, seeing and unseeing. "I don't... I want you on your knees. For me. I don't want you anywhere near _that_... anyone. I don't want you to look at or touch or... anyone. You're mine. I need you… I've needed for days and you're here with the beast and I needed..." he closed his eyes and he almost seemed to fall asleep on his feet for a moment.

_Why am I feeling guilty? Fuck him and his fucking mind games!_

"Loki, man, you've got to talk to me."

Loki sat down on the bed heavily. "Suck me."

"If you just talked to me, I could help."

"Now."

Tony sighed and knelt in between the long legs. His mouth moved to cover the shaft, but he was pulled back painfully by his hair. He looked up as fingers tightened and strands were pulled out by the root. Loki was looking at him harshly. Tony was forced to remember that, although he looked dead on his feet, Loki could still kill Tony.

It finally dawned on him the source of Loki's displeasure and he quickly stripped off the robe he was still wearing. The god pushed him down unforgivingly and Tony choked desperately as the god's rod hit the back of his throat. Message received, Loki let go and Tony was free to work his skill. He realised vaguely that Loki's legs were pressing him close, interlocking behind his back, ensuring Tony stayed put.

It was almost… possessive.

Tony glanced up. Loki eyes were unfocused. Tony sighed and took the cock eagerly deeper into this mouth. The wet sounds of sucking filled the deathly silence. Tony lost himself to the job. Tomorrow was tomorrow and he'd deal with it then.

_You knew this was coming. You knew he wouldn't stay._

_You knew this was a game._

"Can I?" he asked.

Loki shook his head. "No. It's mine."

Tony pulled an irritated face, but returned to sucking Loki off, his hand pulling away from his own erection. Loki was holding back, Tony could tell. Half way in and his jaw was aching. His tongue was going numb and he couldn't hold back the drooling.

The god was holding back his climax, making Tony work harder than he had ever done before. Tony loved and hated him for it.

"Make it last. Make it last, my sweet boy."

Tony used his hands far more than he had ever done, kneading the balls, fondling his god's thighs. He used his hand to pump the length for a bit, giving his mouth a rest and just using his tongue to circle around and around the head. He paused slightly, giving himself a moment and then started laving across the head with long, heavy strokes.

Loki eyes were still closed but he was finally panting, groaning, grunting. Tony worked every trick he had, humming and deep throating. Sucking as hard as he could. A hand was suddenly in back his hair, winding fingers into the short curls.

Loki took over now, pumping Tony's face back and forth with increasing speed. Tony held on to Loki's thighs for support and relaxed as much as he could.

To Tony's surprise, Loki pulled him off before he came, the large, long cock erect and throbbing. Loki closed his eyes elegantly, shivering for control, lying back on the bed. Tony waited, panting, eager to finish. But the god seemed to fall into a half sleep, his body finally relaxing. A little colour was returning to Loki's face now. He raised his hand and summoned wordlessly.

Tony scowled, but obeyed like a good little boy. He moved until he was lying next to Loki. "Do you want me to finish?" Tony asked, unable to keep the displeasure out of his voice.

Loki rubbed his face, seemingly trying to gather himself as he sat up. Chains sprang out of now and tied Tony down. He didn't struggle.

_You're not struggling and you crawled here. Of course Loki's leaving, you let him win._

"If this is the last one, you'd better make it good," scoffed Tony. Like every sneer he had ever thrown on the battlefield, it was as much armour to him as anything else.

Loki was stroking Tony's chest. "I am doing everything I can to ensure it will not."

That pulled Tony up short a bit, gave him a moment's hope. _But he's lying, he's always lying. _"Whatever."

He could see in every move of Loki's body that the god was taking a wordless comfort from this coupling.

_So the fucker's miserable? Serves him right for once._

_I don't fucking care._

Loki leaned in and sucked on Tony gently. Tony whimpered and squirmed. The god was delicate and lazy, lying down on his side between Tony's legs, supporting his head in his hand and mouthing Tony like he was sucking a milkshake through a straw. He could feel the god's erection pressing against his leg. Tony whined. It was amazing and moving but not nearly enough.

He bucked his hips up, expecting at any moment a rebuke. But Loki simply opened his mouth a little wider and let Tony thrust in and out of the warm wet place. Tony gasped out in gratitude as he realised Loki was going to let him set his own pace for once. Loki opened as Tony thrust in and would suck hard as he pulled out. The tugging sensation as the god unwillingly let the cock leave his mouth was exhilarating.

Loki's finger was squirming inside of him, pushing its way past the tight ring. Tony's face grimaced, then relaxed into ecstasy as the finger moved in and out. When Loki dragged the digit out, Tony felt his insides being pulled out with the thin finger. Two fingers. Three.

"Yes, yes, yes, yes, oh, fuck, Loki!" Tony cried out to the universe.

When his cock ploughed into that hot, bewitching, oh so skilled mouth, the fingers in his ass were drawn out. When Tony's pelvis dropped, the cock was pulled out despite Loki's intense, vacuum like sucking to keep it in, but the fingers were slammed into him hard. The sheer force of the plunging fingers forced Tony's hips back up in pain into that sweet mouth and round and round it would go again.

Soon, Tony didn't know if he was taking Loki's mouth because he wanted it, or because Loki had constructed such a self-torturing circle of pleasure Tony _just couldn't_ stop. He wasn't going to stop now until he had cum and hard.

When Tony was seconds from the edge, his panting wails reaching such a pitch as to be shattering, Loki stopped all contact. "Perhaps I should leave you for the beast," he hissed as Tony howled and begged. "I'm sure he would treat you just as cruelly."

Tears came unbidden and he writhed and squirmed on the bed. "Fuck you, I hate you!" Tony snapped. "Why are you so jealous? I fucking crawled in here for you!"

"I want to hear it, Tony. I _need_ to hear it, Tony. I am your god and I need your worship."

"I need you, Loki, I beg you!" Tony screamed, fighting the chains. "Please! I am your boy! I'll say anything, I'll do anything!"

"Say it, swear it."

"I swear, I will do anything for you!"

Loki was above him suddenly, holding his head still and making stare into his eyes. "Swear that the next time the Avengers call, you will not answer."

"Y-yes! Yes!"

"Say it!"

"I won't answer the next time the Avengers call! I swear, I swear! Mercy, oh please!"

Mercy was an interesting word. Tony didn't think he had used it before.

Loki closed his eyes wearily. "I think you're lying-"

"No, no, please!"

"You believe it now but I would not love you as I do if you were this easy to control."

"Please, please love me! Please let me cum! Loki!"

Loki slipped a finger in and out delicately. Tony keened with abandon as that devious finger found the pebble of his prostate and flicked over it again and again. "So warm. So tight. I will miss the feel of your body wrapped around me. I will miss so much."

Loki swallowed Tony to the root. It didn't take anything else. Tony's entire body was arching harder than he had ever felt it, his legs kicking and fighting the chains. His eyes rolled back and he choked out a scream as he felt the rush from his body. It seemed to take with it every ounce of strength from him. He could feel his lover between his legs with almost heightened perception. The strength and warmth of the magnificent man lying on his thigh. Loki's throat was moving, swallowing Tony. One hand was under his hips, holding him up as the god suckled with little hums as Tony softened.

"Lo…ki…" Tony muttered in a breathy moan.

Tony stared at nothing as his body was turned over. Loki paused for a minute to press a tube of some sort of lubricant into him, but didn't prepare the way. Tony's arms flailed violently in the chains, he hissed and yelled as Loki pushed and the stretch boarded on unbearable. The god was pushing mercilessly, forcing his way past the tight muscles until he was finally buried to the hilt within his boy. Loki breathed out gloriously.

"That hurt!" Tony whined angrily. Tony shifted slightly, worried at the throbbing but as his poor body was being used so often now, it hadn't caused any injury. It had just been far too tight and far too painful. "You fucking git, that hurt!"

"I'm sorry, boy. But I need you to remember."

"Remember what?" Tony spat, getting crosser as he realised that the pain and the stretching had caused tears to spring up in his eyes. He buried his face in the pillow.

_Loki is not going to see me cry!_

"Who owns you. Who owns your body. I want you to remember the glorious pleasure of the orgasm whenever you touch yourself. I want you to remember the stretch and the pain whenever you're alone. You will remember you were owned by a god. You will remember that you were filled by a god."

"You're fucking messed up!" Tony growled.

"Would you prefer I left?"

Tony closed his mouth and just shook with hate and need. Not a need to cum. He wasn't going to be able to do that for a few hours. But he was vibrating with a need to be…

_Fuck. _

_A need to be owned._

Loki thrust hard, Tony's body moving in jerks, almost hitting his head against the headboard with every pound. He panted hard, flexing the muscles in his arms, forcing himself to relax. Loki was panting too, his face nuzzling Tony's hair, grunting and huffing in his ear.

There was a desperation in Loki that made Tony's heart break.

"Loki, talk to me, please. I can help you," Tony pleaded as Loki grew faster and shuddered against Tony deliciously.

"Shh boy. There is nothing more to be done. There is nothing more to be said. I will either succeed or I will fail. But even if I can never again reach out and touch you again, you will forever remain my boy."


	14. Chapter 14: Mask Torn

Tony and Bruce were pulling apart one of Tony's suits, trying to identify a problem that was causing it to consistently throw its wearer, i.e. Tony, into every wall it could find. "Seriously, Bruce, this thing is vindictive. I was going to just break it down for parts," Tony said.

"I know this is all, _top secret_. But I can help."

Tony smiled and handed Bruce the blue prints. The man took it gratefully, putting it down on a lighted table and muttering in a ruthful tone, "Unless you've got one that grows to four times its size, I've hardly got any reason to steal it."

"No. But I'll look into it. The Iron Hulk - how does that sound?"

Bruce shuddered. "That's the last thing any of us need. At least I can get distracted by too much pain."

"Think of it, you'd be unstoppable!"

"Exactly."

Tony rolled his eyes. "Suit yourself. And I'm aware of the pun, it was intentional."

"You know, you don't have to babysit me," Bruce said quietly. He looked up, meeting Tony's eye line and quickly looking away.

"I thought you were babysitting me?"

"Don't you want to spend time with your girlfriend?"

"She can wait."

"Sir, there's a call from SHIELD."

Tony stiffened slightly. His mouth tightened as _the boy_ inside of him fell to his knees and crooned out for his god. Tony shoved the silly creature inside of him aside. "Put it through."

"Guys," Natasha's voice said, "time to get back to work. Loki's resurfaced."

_Speak of the devil._

"Where?"

"The SHIELD agents in North Korea didn't check in and all signals went quiet. We've turned the cameras back on and the camp is swarming with Loki's mercenaries. We've confirmed with satellite images."

So this was the call Loki had told him to ignore!

Tony threw down his tool and jumped up onto the platform. "Son of a bitch!"

Heavy mechanical arms around him moved seamlessly, attaching and tightening plates onto his body as the Iron Man was formed. Bruce walked slowly around the platform, watching in slight awe. "Well, we knew it was going to happen eventually," Bruce sighed. "Loki was hardly going to disappear."

The helmet was locked in and Tony pulled the visor down, closing his eyes a secret in pain. "Son of a fucking bitch."

It took almost an hour to get the Avengers together and setting down in North Korea. On the way, Thor explained again how the Bifröst could be used to destroy worlds. Explained Loki's almost destruction of Jötunheimr. It sounded bad, though they couldn't imagine who Loki was turning the weapon on.

Tony clucked his tongue angrily as the transport seemed to take forever. Loki there at the Bifröst doing god knows what and they were taking a luxury trip. Okay, an hour is stunning amount of time for a citizen, but the difference between life and death when you're saving the world.

Images of a new, faster transport took root in Tony's head that day. Something better than this government issued tin can. Something big enough for the Hulk, but small enough and manoeuvrable enough for fast travel…

Tony took the lead, flying out of the transport when they were close. He kept his distance from the camp and gave the team the layout. The mercenaries were swarming, it was true. But from the Iron Man's vantage point, he could see the gaps in the defence.

Barton was next out the transport, taking up position on a ridge not far away and waiting for the order. The rest flew in now and as they came level, Thor, Steve and The Other Guy dropped right into the centre of the camp, safe to say, completely scaring the living daylights out of anyone beneath them. Natasha landed not far away and was joining them in minutes.

It wasn't a long fight and mostly consisted of the Hulk picking up a tank and using it to flatten anything that moved. Natasha did her ninja thing, Steve took the commander of the Black Guard down and Tony, Thor and Barton mostly picked off the remaining strays.

Then they were running into the cave at a sprint.

As they made it to the main chamber, soldiers raised heavy, modified machine guns, pointing them at the incoming colourful party. They had created a far better defence around the platform than they had in the camp. If the Avengers simply charged, someone was going home in a body bag.

The stopped, caught in the mouth of the corridor, the Hulk behind them all, a little hunched in the narrow squeeze. Weapons drawn, ready, there didn't seem anything the Avengers could currently do right now. Tony and the others took comfort at least that the Bifröst didn't seem to be doing anything specular right now. It looked pretty much the same as when they had left, though now the room was littered with scientific monitoring devices.

Tony looked up now, exactly where he really didn't want to have to look.

Loki was walking around and around the silver platform of the Bifröst in his full armour, and not the black and green light armour he often wore. Now he was tall and imposing, gold horns and flowing cape, he looked powerful and angry and… scared.

Catching sight of Thor's face, Loki… laughed, a little feverishly. "It's not working." he explained with almost a casual tone. His face turned violent, he turned and struck the hub where the sword stood out with his staff and spat something long and complicated in an ancient Nordic tongue. It sounded like he was cursing.

Tony snorted. _Hypocrite._

"Brother, what is wrong?" Thor asked. His face was all concern, Mjölner dropping to his side.

Barton glared at the back of Thor's head, the arrow he had pointed at Loki never wavering. "Really? You want a heart to heart with the nut-job?"

Loki pulled the sword out and thrust it back in again. He stared, obviously waiting for something to happen, but it was still. "There is no reason why this wouldn't work," he muttered desperately.

Loki suddenly rolled his eyes with an insane smile. He looked up at the ceiling, but his eyes were staring out into the universe. His arms spread wide, his face a mask torn between dark humour and pain. It was the most terrible and the most beautiful thing Tony had ever seen before in his life.

Loki called out in a cackling voice, "Unless some higher power casts an interfering hand upon it!"

"Father-" Thor started.

"No. Not Father. Something more powerful than Father." He turned to Thor and laughed again. "Do you not understand, all mighty Thor? It's finished. You've won. Congratulations. And I am cast out into a world of punishment and death!"

"It just gets better and better," Barton said with a cold smile.

Loki's face went harsh all of a sudden. "And why are you here? I thought I had made myself clear."

Loki was glowering at him.

_The boy_ whimpered, crawled, and begged forgiveness. The Iron Man stepped over the fawning creature and said nothing. And the inner Tony just watched the man up on the platform, creating his tragic figure and forced himself not to believe.

_Lies. Always lies._

"I can help you, brother. Tell me what is going on!" Thor demanded.

"Oh, look at you. Look at you now. So proud, so strong… you do not need me anymore," Loki sneered derisively.

_Yes, yes I do! Please, please stop looking at me like that. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry._

Tony was unutterably grateful that none of his friends seemed to have a functioning brain today. His helmet stayed shut, he couldn't risk anyone seeing his face. None of them seemed in any doubt that Loki was talking to Thor. I mean, after all, why would he be talking to the Iron Man of all people?

Bruce probably would have figured it out, observant little prick, but he was currently indisposed. The Hulk on the other hand, had all the perception of a brick.

"Just as well, boy, because I am not long for this world now." The god shuddered painfully. "Will you remember when I'm dead?"

"Brother, don't say such a thing!"

"He's coming."

"What do you mean, Loki? Talk to me, let me help you," Thor pleaded. "Who is it who comes?"

Loki's eyes shifted back to Thor.

Thor stared into those green and tortured eyes imploringly. He stepped forward, his voice gentle. "Who?"

Loki pulled out the sword and with a complicated movement, it vanished into thin air. "If he finds it, he could use it to destroy this world" Loki muttered. "It cannot be found."

"Isn't that what you were trying to do?" Steve asked quickly.

Loki shook his head, his body hunching in a wracking pain. "This world is foul! Filthy! It deserves nothing more but a blaze of destruction! But I cannot. I _will not_. It holds too much, too much to lose."

Loki's eyes rose up and focused on Tony again.

_Please I want to help you, my god, my god please._

Thor stepped forward again, a hand reaching out to Loki, seemingly encouraged by this sudden apparent show of Loki's moderated view.

"Careful, Thor," Natasha warned.

Thor waved her away angrily, turning wide loving eyes on his troubled little brother. "My brother, I have faith that the poisonous madness you have been burdened with this last year is finally fading. I can help you; I can help you find redemption. I stand by your side now as I have always done; you need only talk to me, tell me what's happening!"

Whatever Loki's purpose was at the Bifröst, they never found out. At that moment, a portal opened up behind him and Tony shuddered. He knew that portal; he saw it every night in his nightmares. It was the same one as the Chitauri has used.

But this time, nothing was coming out. Something was going in.

Loki looked up at Tony again and closed his eyes. As the god was sucked in, Tony only just managed to choke back his scream. He needn't have bothered as Thor's inhuman bellow would have drowned out anything he could have accomplished.

Thor sprang after his little brother, but the portal had already closed.

_Oh god please no!_

_I've lost him._


	15. Chapter 15: Conscience

"Does anyone have any idea want the hell just happened?" Barton asked when they were finally back on the Helicarrier.

The mercenaries in the Bifröst room had, understandably, been a little alarmed when their leader had vanished. Natasha, Tony and Barton had moved as if in sync, each shooting a mercenary through the chest with their weapon of choice. That had taken care of the ones at the machine guns. The rest were easy.

Fury didn't look like a happy bunny. "Exactly what I'm asking. Where the hell is the key?"

"Gone," Natasha said.

"Loki?"

"Also gone," Steve said.

Fury looked... furious. "Does anyone want to tell me what the fuck went down?"

"Thanos," Tony said. He had been thinking and thinking about it all the way here and was now certain. "The big bad who helped Loki on his spectacularly failed attempt to take over the world. Gave him his glow stick. Loki said Thanos was after him for retribution." Tony was amazed at how calm he could sound when he didn't feel it at all.

_I just stood there. I just stood there._

Thor stared at Tony in horror. "And how do you know this?"

_He told me. I didn't believe it._

"Loki mentioned it," Tony said, trying to focus on his team despite the clamour of self-accusation in his mind.

_The boy._ That part of him now reliant on Loki. The Loki addict. It was screaming.

"When he came to Stark Tower?" Natasha asked.

_He wouldn't let me help him!_

_I didn't try hard enough._

"Yeah."

Thor rounded on him. He had been virtually silent in the transport back, now he bellowed, angry and accusing, "And you only mention this now?"

_I'm sorry, I'm so sorry._

"This is Loki we're talking about," Tony said as evenly as he could. "I assumed it was just a lie. An angle. I didn't think it worth mentioning."

That at least was true. When Loki had confided it, Tony had been certain it was a little story to get him back into bed. Oh, it may have been _partly_ true, but how could you ever know?

The thing about Loki… the dangerous thing about Loki is that he never lied, lied. He used the truth to lie and he did it spectacularly. After all, an outright lie can be disproved. But a lie based in the truth…

_I could have helped him._

_No I couldn't have!_

Tony rubbed his eyes, forcing the voices back, ignoring the pain. He pulled himself back together. Being anything _less_ that Tony Stark right now wasn't going to help.

Thor deflated. "I… forgive me. You are right, of course."

"Good riddance," Barton said with a smile.

Fury glanced at Thor and said, perhaps slightly kinder than he usually was, "I don't want to sound undiplomatic, but given the bastard is now off our hands, I'm not going to lose any sleep over it."

Thor didn't reply, but he nodded gravely.

Once the meeting broke up, Tony followed Thor at a distance. The god was walking sedately or as sedately as a man that weight and size could manage. He seemed to be deep in thought. Eventually, Thor and Tony ended up outside, crossing gangways and fighter jet runways until Thor stopped on the edge of the platform. He was looking out stoically.

As he pulled Mjölner from its thong fastening on his belt, he suddenly seemed to notice Tony. "Leave me be."

"Thor, if I had known-"

"I do not blame you, my friend. Truly. But leave me be. I must return to Asgard."

"You're going to get him back, aren't you?"

Thor turned and looked at him harshly. "He is my brother. Despite what he has done, my loyalty to him is absolute."

_I hear ya, big guy._

"Good thing I've still got the suit on," Tony said, pulling his helmet on. He waved his hands encouragingly. "Go on, you first. I'll follow."

Thor stared at him.

"Can't let you go on your own, Goldie Locks."

"You would come with me to rescue a man who attempted to kill you and destroy your world?"

"I'm a complicated guy. Now mosh."

"Tony, while I appreciate the gesture, the All Father-"

"You want me to say it? Fine, I'll say it. I, Tony Stark, having found myself burdened with conscience I don't remember ordering, now feel like shit for not warning you that some great evil was gunning for your brother." Tony took refuge in the fact that it wasn't a lie. But it wasn't the whole truth either. "I want to do this, Thor."

Thor seemed to consider this for a long while, but Tony got the impression that he hadn't wanted to do this alone anyway. It wasn't taking much of an internal monologue within Thor (assuming he had one) to convince himself.

He reached out with a grateful but tired smile and grabbed Tony's shoulder. "You are a good friend, Tony Stark."

_I'm doing your brother._

"And never forget it," Tony said.

Travel through the universes was… dizzying to say the least. Tony couldn't understand how Thor did it. The world around you shifted and morphed like a kaleidoscope. You were flying forward, but it was different from when Tony was flying in his suit. He seemed to stay still and the world around him moved. Then you were racing through a world of colour and blackness and streaking stars.

Then there was the pain. Tony felt like he was being crushed and stretched at the same time. Just at the brink of his ability to stand it, it all stopped. Not gradually, but with a sudden immediacy like hurtling into a wall.

Thor landed on elegantly on his feet like some over muscular ballet dancer on some sort of coloured bridge. Tony clattered down like a heap of tin.

He tried to swear, tried to yell. Instead, a very small noise escaped his throat. "Ow."

The bridge led to a massive drop into… nothing apparently. Asgardian's are weird. It also had a few heavily laden gold guards around it who stared at the pair in surprise. Specifically, they were glaring at Tony with undisguised curiosity and suspicion.

He could barely hear Jarvis as the AI made several complaints about Tony's vital signs. Various systems in the suit itself were going absolutely haywire and in self-defence, Jarvis deactivated a third of his operation functions. Tony could fly and shoot rockets. That was pretty much it. Even the visual on his visor was fazing in and out giving him seconds of blindness.

"Sir, can I recommend not doing that again? You came very close to cardiac arrest and your blood pressure soared off the charts."

"Urh," Tony replied.

"I will create a reminder for you, Sir."

Tony tried to push himself up, but his armour seemed to be heavier than it should be. Or he was weaker than he realised. He listened idly as Thor had a conversation with… Hem… Him… Heimdall? Wasn't that the guy who could take off three ice giant heads with one sword?

In between moments of blackness, he saw the guy with staring yellow eyes and a bass voice, towering over Thor even. Fuck. Three heads with one blow? Tony believed it.

"Sir, your visual display will not be fully operational for another hour at least. Might I suggest raising the visor?"

Thor's arm reached down in the darkness and pulled him up until he was standing again. The god waited patiently for Tony to pull himself together, watching him carefully. A bit like a mother-hen – it was a trait he had noticed in Thor before.

_And in Loki. Fuck. All these Asgardians thinking that just because they're hundreds of years older than normal people, the rest of us are children._

Tony's visor flipped up and he gave a petulant grumble. "That was…"

Thor was smiling like a boy. "If I do it a thousand times, I shall never grow tired of it."

Tony glared. "Really? Well, if I have to do it again, I'll kill myself."

"You did not enjoy it?"

"What's Asgardian for _hell no_?"

Thor rattled something off in Asgardian too fast for Tony to make out a syllable.

"What?"

"Such crossings are rarely been undertaken by Midgards. It is good to see that you are still alive. The All Father must know of your presence and allowed you entrance. He must wish to speak to you."

"I beg your pardon?" Tony said, completely alarmed.

"Come my friend. We must speak with my father." Thor was leading the way to some horses.

"When you say, good to see me _alive_..."

It didn't occur to Tony what was happening until Thor led two horses around by their black leather bridles for himself and Tony to mount.

At Tony's questioning exclamation, Thor gave him a baffled look. "It is a horse, my friend."

"_Horsepower_ I get. But this thing," Tony glared at it, leaning backwards, slightly intimidated as it swung its head back. "I'm not riding anything with a mind of its own. In fact, I don't want anything between my legs which has got a mind of its own."

_Except Loki and his amazing mouth._

_Stop it! That's not helping._

Thor swung himself up into the saddle. "You would rather run?"

"No. Hence the very useful jets in my shoes. Have I shown them to you?"

"Tony," Thor said gently. "This is the land of my people, an ancient world of warriors and magic. It is the land I was born in and a world that will be my eternal home. I would ask you to… try to be less like… Tony Stark."

Tony simmered in irritation for a while, before remembering why he was here. Right. Get Loki back.

_Then sock Thor in the face._

Gotcha.

He glared suspiciously at the horse again. He wasn't even sure he could ride a horse in this suit, but there was only one way to find out. He jumped up and pulled off his helmet. "At least I'll still have the classiest armour here," he observed, glancing at the soldiers around him.

"Come, it is not far to the Palace and the Throne Room."

"Fine. Where's the ignition on this thing?"

Thor and Tony marched into the Throne Room of Asgard. Well, Thor marched. Tony was certain he'd never marched anywhere in his life.

So, Thor marched into the Throne Room and Tony followed nonchalantly behind him. The guards around them all seemed a little perturbed at his appearance and only a command from Thor that stopped them from probably wrestling him to the ground.

Asgard seemed to be everything Tony had expected it to be. Gold and glittering and faintly tacky. _Loki wasn't tacky._ Loki was real and Tony was having a hard time imagining how some place so archaic, heavy and blunt had created a creature of skill and speed and wit. How had gold halls spawned a silver tongue?

_Silver-tongued Loki. Loki's tongue. Loki's mouth, running down his neck as Tony gasped and cried and-_

_Stop it! _

"My son," said a voice.

Tony looked up at the voice and groaned inwardly. Was he going to spend the rest of his life surrounded by one-eyed men? Why couldn't these people just learn to dodge? Or wear a helmet? How hard was it really?

The old man sitting in a large, ornate golden throne seemed less than Tony pictured. He looked like an old relic of a bygone age. Even more than Thor himself. He held a large staff in his hand, the other resting on the arm of the throne. He did at least have the kingly royal bearing, but other than that, Tony did not find himself overly impressed.

"It has been hundreds of years since the last Midgardian has stepped foot on our lands. I trust there is a reason?"

_This guy seems like a barrel of laughs. _

"Father, I bring… terrible news. My brother, your son and a prince of Asgard has been captured by a creature known only as Thanos. My companion, Tony Stark, Iron Man of the Avengers, was told by Loki himself-" but Thor paused.

Clearly, he had believed that it would be Tony's job to fill in the blanks, but the King looked shocked.

"Thanos," Odin breathed.

"You know of him, father?"

"A Titan of old, he is called the Mad Titan. Thanos is a creature of great and terrible power. A god of death. If Loki has fallen into his shadows, I fear there is nothing left to be done."

"No," Thor said firmly. "No, father, I will not accept that. Whatever else Loki is, he is a prince of Asgard. To capture him, possibly torture and kill him, is an act of war. I will not turn a blind eye and allow him to be some sacrifice. You know this, Father."

"It is from Thanos, then, I assume Loki gained his new powers. That explains much. Why then should we intercede when villains turn against one another?"

"Because neither you nor I believe that Loki is unutterably evil, father," Thor said passionately. "He can and will be saved from this dark fate."

"Am I to risk the life of my remaining son and an army to rescue one who has wrought his own destruction?"

Thor's manner turned dark now. He seemed to grow slightly, becoming sharper round the edges. Tony had to resist the urge to back away. "Do you mean to abandon him, Father?" Thor's voice was forced calm, but silently deadly.

Odin looked defeated already. That couldn't be good. Tony noticed a certain amount of discomfort in the guards which was bad. Like bodyguards back home, these Kings Guard seemed to be there to protect the King and otherwise to stare ahead and not take any interest in current events. When they looked nervous, it was time to be nervous.

Tony coughed. "Well. Awkward. I don't want to get in the middle of a family squabble here, but I imagine either way time is… you know… of the essence here?"

Given the fact that he was standing in a world thousands of years older than humanities own and they were still playing Knights of the Round Table, Tony didn't have a shred of confidence that they were the type to make fast decisions.

After a long pause which Tony only believed proved him right, the old King _finally _nodded and slammed his staff down on the floor. There was a noise like a crack in the air and Tony cursed himself at the flinch he gave.

"Thor, I command you to take your men… and bring home my son."

Thor nodded and strode towards the doors. Tony was left feeling as though he was very much in the way. He looked up with Odin and gestured to Thor. "I'll just go with him then."

"Midgardian, Tony Stark the Iron Man. Thor has told me much of you."

"Really?" Tony said, a little worriedly.

Odin nodded imperiously. "Your valour and bravely are not to be disputed. You risked your life to stop the Chitauri invasion of Midgard in the manner of true heroes. A warrior I can be glad aids my son Thor in his battles. Who has already risked his life to come to Asgard to follow him-"

"Yeah, can I just point out that the risks were never actually explained to me?"

Odin continued as though he hadn't been interrupted. "Iron Man, your courage is not disputed. But on this occasion, you cannot follow where he goes."

Tony paused. "Come again?"

"The realm of Thanos is a cold and desolate space. Nothing lives there but death."

Tony bit back his urge to correct the man. How exactly can death _live_ there?

"The realm can barely be traversed by our kind. This is a mission of death. I do not expect all of my people to return from there alive. You would perish upon arrival as you almost did arriving here."

"Hence the ever helpful metal suit." Tony looked at Odin and said, far less jovially, "I'm going."

Odin stood and a tension fell over the room. Tony felt himself taking a step back. Suddenly, the haggard, slightly comical scene took on a new and alarming air. As this old and drawn man stood from his throne, his height and heavy figure becoming, Tony realised the man practically screamed infinite power.

If Tony had been religious, the only word for it would have been _God_.

_No. The word god is used in a different context in my word. And it's not him._

The man looked gravely down on Tony. At last, Tony was beginning to piece together what sort of childhood Loki must have had. It must have been a real hoot. No wonder the man had turned to mischief.

Mischief was what the intelligent resorted to when the world around them would not allow them dominance. Instead, you learnt to tweak the nose of power and then pull your most charming smile to get away with it. The dumb weren't mischievous.

And dominance was what Loki was finally finding. He hadn't been able to outdo Thor. He'd never be the man his adopted father was or had wanted him to be and by killing Laufey, Loki had lost any chance there to show himself the better man.

But in Tony, Loki had found himself a willing, if truculent, worshipper.

_Fuck, I need him. I need him so much._

"Your loyalty to my son is commendable; to risk such to stand by him is admirable. But it will not be. I have commanded it."

For one horrible moment, Tony would have sworn he had been rumbled.

"My… loyalty… to… Thor?" he said slowly. Meeting only silence, he plunged on. "Loyalty be fucked, this is about getting in on the action, alright? I'm not staying here like the little woman!"

Thor, who had apparently stayed to monitor the exchange, now stepped in hurriedly. "Tony, you insult the All Father!"

"Well he started it!"

"I am not insulted," Odin said, though he certainly didn't look happy. "I understand this boy's frustrations, they would have been shared by myself in my youth. They were demonstrated by you not that long ago, Thor, on your ill-judged march into Jötunheimr. But in this I am not to be defied. For the sake of our relations with Midgard, I will not see one of their mightiest heroes die when I could have prevented it."

The stick slammed down on the floor. To everyone else, that seemed to be that.

"You really do think you're all that, don't you? Well, we don't have a monarchy in America, so fuck yo-"

Thor bowed his head to his father and hurriedly dragged an adamantly objecting Tony from the room. "Lower your voice," Thor said angrily.

"What a complete- that man's got a stick up his-" but Tony stopped and coughed after dangerous flash in Thor's eyes diverted his train of thought with a healthy amount of self-preservation.

An army was raised very quickly; it seemed all these people did was mooch about waiting for a war. Among them were the Warriors Three, who Tony wasted no time in laughing at, especially Volstagg.

"So what do you do, Tubby? Sit on your enemies?"

"Must we stand here and take cheap jibes by a mere mortal?" Fandral demanded angrily, one hand reaching for the hilt of his sword.

Tony's visor snapped down and he raised his arms, panels sliding back to reveal the rockets. "Whoa there, Errol Flynn."

"Fandral, lower your hand! This man is as much a brother to me as you and I will not tolerate this!" Thor said angrily. His hand reached out and slapped Tony's arms down.

Tony's eyes caught Thor's weary figure. Thor looked strung out and miserable. Tony felt his insides squirm. _Shit._ When had he developed a conscience? He didn't have one before the suit that much he knew. Or maybe he had just pummelled it away into a corner until his capture in the desert had drawn it back out.

He could almost trace back the evolution of this particular Tony. It was born in a cave, listening to a man tell a sad story of death. And it had grown into maturity as he had watched the TV, his first real gantlet in hand, and saw what his vision had become. The _Merchant of Death_ suddenly wasn't so happy anymore.

Tony took a breath. He had walked into Thor's house, he had complained, mocked his friends, sworn at his father… basically wrote the book on how to be a bad guest. And all the while he had lied to get here, pretending it was because he wanted to support his friend though his time of need when he was really here because he was sleeping with his brother behind his back.

_Congratulations, Tony, you've hit an all new low_.

Tony's visor came back up and he reached out a hand to Fandral. "I wish I was going with Thor on his one. But if he has guys like you, can't imagine what could go wrong."

Fandral took an appreciative look at him, and then accepted the hand.

"You still look like Errol Flynn."

"Thank you, Tony," Thor said, pulling the shorter man away from the Warriors Three before anything else could happen. "I know what this feels like. But this is not cowardice on your part, or disrespect on ours. It is down to a simple fact that your body, metal armour or not, would not survive the strain that would be put upon it. You are not built for such realms."

"Would you accept that garbage?" Tony demanded hotly.

Thor suddenly looked much older as he gave a small smile. Tony was suddenly struck by how mature he was, despite his often times childlike manner and his unnatural adoration of Pop-Tarts.

"Not that many years ago, no. I would not have. And I ended a long held peace and started a war which has so far claimed many lives. But I was thrown down to Midgard and there I learned. Lessons I have not and will not forget. They have made me a better man, Tony." Thor's hand reached out and he clasped his shoulder reassuringly. "My friend, it means more to me than I can say that you stand by me at this time. You can do so here."

_Sinking lower here, thanks Thor._

Tony sighed miserably, giving in for lack of anything else he could do. "What exactly do I do while I wait?"

"Explore the palace and the forests, you will not be stopped."

"Sounds like fun," Tony said in a hollow monotone.

"If anything happens to us, my father will send you back to Midgard."

"Nothing's going to happen," Tony said. "Right?"

Thor swung up onto his horse. The army behind him, taking their lead from their prince all mounted their own steeds. It was an impressive sight; not least because that heavy armour should make it impossible for them to do anything but fall sideways.

"My people are hospitable and gracious. You will be looked after."

"I am the _Iron Man_," Tony said, almost like he was trying to convince Thor of the fact. "Not a friend here for a sleepover!"

"We will return, Tony."


	16. Chapter 16: Two Words

Tony stalked around his room, nursing his ill temper. What was more infuriating? Well, here's the list and take your fucking pick. First, the fucking arrogance of Odin's boys, both of them, in treating him like skirt. He was not a little woman who needed protection.

Tony's mind's eye flashed on Natasha and he corrected himself. Okay, he was not a little _child_ who needed protection.

_My Boy…_

Second, it had been four days. What was Thor playing at? What, had he stopped for takeout? How long could this possibly take?

Third, after a day of polite but persistent poking, Tony had been 'encouraged' to shed his armour for an Asgardian get up so now he looked like he was going to a fucking Renaissance fair.

Fourth, while Thor had been right and everyone was hospitable and polite, they did it with that egotistical air of 'oh, look at us, humouring the little mortal. Aren't we so glorious in our benevolence and superiority?' _Yadda, yadda, yadda._

Tony, being Tony, hadn't been able to take it for long. After a 'joke' (apparently they were rather sensitive here) had almost landed him in a sort of duel to the death (he hadn't caught the specifics) he had willingly confined himself to his allotted quarters.

His life was only spared because everyone knew that Tony was Thor's… _responsibility_. Tony wanted to think of any other word than the ones he had heard whispered behind his back.

_Thor's pet Midgardian._

That rankled Tony's hackles up the wrong way, but it really shouldn't have. After all, he was technically a pet Midgardian, just not Thor's.

_My Boy…_

Fifth and finally, he was trapped in a world that had no 3G signal whatsoever, anywhere.

Everything was piling in against Tony to reduce him to just a little man skulking around the halls either patronised or ignored. Everything that made him Tony; his clothes, his science, his influence and respect, his Iron Man status... everything had been stripped from him here until he was just a boy waiting for a hero to save his god.

It was demeaning.

What the fuck was taking Thor so long? Maybe Loki was… Tony felt that lurch and grind in his stomach every time he even considered the possibility.

But so what? If Loki was dead, the _boy_ inside of him would finally die, taking with him any hope of that twisted happiness. He would go back to being Tony Stark/Iron Man until he was eventually killed in a fiery death as the Iron Man, or drank enough to collapse his liver. Wasn't that the plan before Loki had forced him down on the bed that night?

_Pretty crummy plan. But then again you never believed you could have anything more until he came along._

_Correction: I didn't know there even was anything more._

_My boy._

Tony shook his head unhappily. Those two little words had propelled his life into a level of happiness and misery than he could ever remember experiencing before.

Two words had turned his life into… this. This world of glorious agony.

The boy. Tony preferred to think of it as a separate creature within him. He had been whining and mewling for days and it was doing Tony's head in. Little wonder he had cut at every son of a bitch he had passed in the corridors. It was something to do to get his mind off…

_Please, please don't be dead._

Long hours left alone were taking its toll on Tony. Dark introspection was miring him in grief and anxiety. He was beginning to realise how much Loki had actually affected him and he hated the bastard for it.

Adding insult to injury, the palace was mostly empty as all the warriors had gone to fight. And here was Tony, wondering around, looking like a kid with no friends. It was humiliating and infuriating. But he couldn't figure out what to do. His suit was still fried, it's functions so limited that on the few occasions he had tried to fly out over Asgard, stable flight had only just been manageable.

Of course, when he had tried, he was given a right ticking off by a guard, some sort of over promoted Captain who had been left behind to command the home forces. Or some sort of shit like that. Again, Tony had almost bickered his way into another duel to the death when he pointed out that, if the Captain was all that, why wasn't he out with Thor?

_Why aren't I fighting with Thor? Loki's mine after all. And he's a damn sight more mine than Thor's right now._

Tony was heated, demanding and petulant and he knew it. Throwing a tantrum to get himself noticed. And the knowledge only made him angrier. But he was in a world of law and tradition and honour. A world of magic that he did not understand. A world… a world where he was, to his complete horror, just a child.

He rolled his eyes in a fury. _Fuck it. Fuck all of them. Fuck Loki, fuck Thor, fuck them all._

Tony spent a lot of time thinking of Loki. Tony so far hadn't seen much in Asgard that solved the riddle of Loki. In fact, Tony found himself wondering how Loki had coped here. Though he suspected Loki had coped far better than he was. Loki could play the game, the great deceiver. Smile and bow and talk like a poet while scheming and lying like a villain. That beautiful smile and gleaming green eyes hiding so much raw emotion…

_I need him more than I ever realised._

_And now he's dead._

_He's dead._

It was almost easier to convince himself of it now. Just in case. Because even if the fucker was dead, what did it matter? In the long run, he was Tony Stark and no psycho takes that from him.

Tony rolled his eyes. He's dead. Another two words. Okay. Two and a half words. And whereas _my boy_ made him feel powerful and powerless in equal measures, these two little words just made him feel numb inside. Numb was good. Numb was what the alcohol was for because when you're numb you don't feel.

_I don't ever want to feel again._

As the thoughts inside of him reached a new pitch, Tony threw his helmet at a wall. Just for something to do. Destructive chaos. Isn't that Loki's gig? The gold-titanium alloy helmet banged and clattered down to the floor, the visor landing up to glare at him from across the room.

Because here, in these glittering halls, being the Iron Man was worth as much as being Tony Stark. Neither of them mattered in this palace. Tony hated this, hated everything; hanging in limbo for four days, pining like a little dog when his owner was gone.

_I'm going to kill Thor when he gets back._

_I'm going to kill Loki when he gets back._

_If he gets back._

Tony paced some more. He needed alcohol, though that was surprisingly difficult to get. You had to corner a serving person and they, surprisingly, didn't seem to know what a Jack Daniels was. And what they did serve here wasn't worth bothering with.

The mead was beyond what Tony could handle. There was a difference between being paralytic and just in a coma. The first two nights had been enough to put him off. There had been a horrible moment when he was sure his head hadn't been attached to his body.

And there was no lab. No science. He was trapped in a world of medieval heroes and heraldry with nothing to do and if Thor didn't bring his ass back right now, Tony was going to jump from something just for the sheer hell of it, suit or no suit.

_Four days._

Tony felt his body crack in hysterical laughter. Another two words. Well isn't that fucking brilliant.

Maybe this place was eroding his mind because he couldn't think probably anymore. Not think like the great Tony Stark could think. A genius Earth hadn't seen since Da Vinci could no longer think. He could only fester.

Tony Stark did not do Renaissance Fairs, or dress up or role play. He wanted to go back home before he lost what was left of his mind and he was going to go to Odin right now and…

If Tony left, he was never going to be able to talk his way back. Frankly, he probably wouldn't survive the crossing. He had been told recently that Thor probably only agreed to let Tony follow as he didn't believe that Odin would allow him through. Though he had probably been hoping so and simply underestimated the amount of damage a crossing did to a mortal. Either way, Thor was a git.

If Loki is brought back, he'll be brought immediately to his cell _and I'll never…._

_Not that I care, of course. I only talked my way here to have the opportunity to mess with Thor and poke my nose in. And if I do see Loki again, I'm going to punch him in the face for manipulating me over the Bifröst. I don't care. I don't need him or Pepper or anyone else to know who I am – I know who I am._

Tony looked over at the Iron Man mask. It still seemed to be staring at him.

_My Boy._

_Iron Man._

_Tony Stark._

_I know who I am._

There was the sound of running footsteps. Tony jerked out of his dark thoughts as an out of breath Asgardian serving girl ran into the room. A girl who, despite being the bottom of the food chain here, could still have broken Tony's spine across her knee.

"Where's the fire then?"

"Milady said you would want to be informed of the return of the princes."

_Princes?_

_He's back!_

Tony followed her, through the halls, outside into the evening light, down hundreds of marble red steps and into a courtyard. The courtyard was large – everything here was on a fucking grand scale. The area was full of servants, healers and horses. And dozens of soldiers in various states of injury. From the top of the steps Tony could see beyond the rest of the army, all in various states of resting and walking away.

There seemed to be a royal guard huddled in one corner so Tony took that as the safest bet. He pushed and dodged between people. A horrendous amount of them had come back in pieces. Tony had a horrible moment wondering how many hadn't come back at all. There were red blankets covering bodies and were discreetly being taken away.

The sound of cries and pain filled the evening air and made Tony feel sick with worry. Running when he caught sight of Thor, he scanned the space around them. Thor was with some sort of doctor, stretched out over table. He was conscious and angrily waving the man away, but he looked out of it.

Around them, Errol Flynn was nursing wounds that looked days old, but seemed now infected. Next to Thor on another able the Amazon woman looked half gone. The other two of the three were cut up but looked better.

Of Loki, there was no sign.

"Point break, you look awful," Tony said in a forced jovial tone.

On closer inspection, he couldn't help but note that Thor looked almost dead. His skin was ashen and his cheeks fallen in. He looked… thin.

"Where have you been for four days?"

Thor paused then, staring at him in feverish incredulity. A hand reached out and grabbed Tony's arm. Tony had to support himself with his other, grabbing the table, as he was almost dragged to the floor.

"Four days?" Thor whispered.

"Yeah, man. What took you so long?"

"Four days?" Thor repeated, shaking his head. "That is not right, my friend."

Tony raised an eyebrow. "Er, yes it is. I counted. Because I had nothing else to do."

"We were there for weeks, Tony. A month at least. Time there is… distorted. Corrupted. It was weeks."

Tony's stomach did that crushing, grinding this again. "How long was Loki there for?"

"Months. Maybe a year. Time moved, oddly. Not set."

_A year._

_How much does someone change in a year?_

_Well that depends. You? You haven't changed since you were eighteen._

Tony glanced around again. He still couldn't see the trickster anywhere. "But you brought him back?" Tony said with rising anxiety.

"Yes," Thor said distractedly.

"Where is he?" Tony demanded, a little more insistently than he should of.

_The guy is lying half dead and you're more concerned about the loony toon._

"I… I do not know. They took him to a secure place." Thor looked around at his men. "Many are dead. Many more injured, I do not even know if they made the crossing. We did not win this fight, we survived."

"That is all we could have hoped, Thor," Volstagg said with rumble.

"We would have all died lest it been for Thor," Fandral said to Tony, pointedly. "The Titan's forces were stronger than we ever could have reckoned. But Thor's actions saved so many. The King should know that."

Thor shook his head. "The All Father must know of the casualties and of Loki's rescue, if he does not already." He looked up at Tony. "Please, you must inform the King."

Tony would have objected, he had so far avoided speaking to the Kingly-techy Odin again out of pure self-preservation, but Thor was in no position to do anything right now.

_And you feel guilty. Go on, admit it._

Tony chewed his tongue and said reluctantly, "I'll… okay. But if your father turns me into a ferret for all eternity, it's entirely on you."

After gathering all the details, Tony made his way with great trepidation to the Throne Room. Now that the pressure of the last four days had finally lifted, time seemed to be speeding up. He wasn't trapped in the mire anymore and he was racing to catch up.

He still couldn't believe it and wouldn't until he saw the guy.

Tony, as was usual here, was mostly ignored until he crossed the boundary into the throne room. Then suspicious eyes were upon him, gold helmeted and horned heads turning to stare.

He walked up to the over-sized throne where sat the old man carefully. Now, never let it be said that, when called for, Tony Stark couldn't be an adult. He had that ability. Unfortunately, there seemed to be a tremendous disconnect between what he thought he probably should do and what he actually did.

On this occasion, he managed a passable amount of respect and due diligence. To a certain degree.

"I'm sorry, I'm not sure if I'm supposed to bow or curtsy here or what?"

Odin tilted his head, but said nothing.

Tony cleared his voice and decided that he would throw his usual Tony-ness to the winds because despite all outward appearance, he did actually want to get home in one piece. Unfortunately for all concerned, Tony was a civilian. If Odin was expecting some sort of military report from Tony, he was going to be sadly mistaken.

"Thor asked me to relay as much as I could to you. He is with the healers now but will come and see you when he can. Of the hundred and sixty soldiers who went in to get Loki, only a hundred and fifteen have returned. Which, in my opinion, isn't a bad statistic given what they were up against. But that's just me. Several were lost during the crossing, some have died since getting back but the majority of the casualities died in Thanos' realm. Everyone else is injured and starving to various degrees but alive. So that's something."

Odin asked a few questions about the soldiers and what they had experienced in Thanos' realm and Tony answered as best he could, though that wasn't very well at all.

"What of my sons?" The man sounded stoic, but Tony thought he had heard the tone of concern there. Or maybe he was imagining it.

"Thor's in one piece though rough around the edges. All his men say he was a hero out there and I don't doubt it, for what that's worth. I haven't seen Loki, but I've been told that he has been taken away to be healed."

_And I want to be there with him._

Odin took a long moment in silence and Tony was left wondering if he should be leaving. Then the god rumbled back to life. "I ask you, Midgardian, can your SHIELD spare you for a time longer?"

Tony raised an eyebrow. "How long?"

"Once my son Loki has recovered, he will be sentenced once again in the Great Judgement Hall of my forefathers. His escape and crimes since leaving must be taken into account. You, Anthony Stark, should be there to innumerate the crimes he has committed against yourself and the Midgardian peoples."

_Crime's against me?_

Tony grimaced at the thought. "I'm not the best choice for this. I'm barely keeping my cockiness in check right now and that's only because I find you faintly terrifying. No offense. You don't want me up there making a mockery of the whole thing."

"I must insist," Odin said coolly.

"Alright, _insisting_ and _asking_ are two different things. If you didn't-"

"Thank you for your time, Tony Stark, Man of Iron. You may go."

"You're dismissing me?"

Odin just stared imperiously.

Tony opened and shut his mouth for a while, scowled, turned on his heel and left with a mutter of bad words. In retrospect, it was astonishing really that Tony hadn't been killed yet. Clearly they were patronising him and that just made it worse. At least, when you respected someone as an equal, you were prepared to throw a punch. In Tony's case, the godly Aesir here just tended to see him as an impertinent child.

Thor had been talking to the hospital like area and was being seen to. The army had disbanded and were being treated or going home. Servants were running around seeing to everything and Tony…

Tony wondered back to his room alone and lay down on the large bed.

_He's alive._

Never had two words relieved so much pain in him. Tony had heard a lot of two word sentiments in his life and his was the sweetest. Better even than _case dismissed_.

He bit his tongue violently and turned over, burying his face in the pillow. He fought that sudden rush of emotion back because it was not Tony Stark. The boy was crooning for his god.

But even though Loki was back there was still a world between them. Thor, Odin… not to mention an entire Asgardian army.

_Still, he's alive._

Let's start with that and deal with the problems later.


	17. Chapter 17: Hurting

Two days later and Tony once again was forced to wonder if he had been forgotten about. Which was irksome to say the least. Tony Stark is _never_ forgotten about. If he wasn't the centre of attention then there was no attention to be given. But everyone here had a purpose that they were attending to. Thor had spent most of his time either with the healers, next to Loki's bedside or in conference with the All Father.

Tony felt like an outstayed house guest.

He hadn't gone near Loki. He didn't see how he could do it without raising any alarm bells. From the gossip he had overheard, Loki was alive but badly injured. The boy inside Tony screamed out for him, but Tony was, for once, forcing himself to think rationally about all this.

The dark mire of agony which he had embroiled himself had lifted as now there was something to do. He couldn't have found a way into Thanos's lair. And if he had, he would have died. But now! Now there was a problem to wrap his head around.

_How you break into a god's cell with all of Asgard watching 101._

Tony could hardly demand to see the Asgardian traitor without someone asking, 'oh yes? And why would you want to do that, then?' Loki had been moved into his old quarters while he healed, where upon he would be brought down to his cell.

_Upgraded probably - maybe one that had a lock this time? Just a thought._

Tony found the room by following busy servants and healers. The advantage to being a Midgardian in the glittering gold halls was, once the gods had all gotten over the initial curiosity; Tony had sort of sunk into the background. Especially now he was making an effort not to draw attention to himself.

Again, it was like he was a child - particularly Tony's childhood growing up with the great Howard Stark. He was only noticed when he was causing problems and otherwise, if he was still and quiet, he could get away with more.

_Remain still and quiet, boy, while I play…_

Tony shuddered. The bastard had taken up lodgings in his head the last week and the only way Tony was getting him out was by seeing him. By knowing the fucker was still alive.

The reaction of the palace was unusual to watch. Whereas the people within the palace were still as critical and mistrustful of Loki as ever, the opinions of the soldiers who had gone through hell to save him had mellowed slightly. Apparently, the condition they found him in suggested he had been punished enough. And now all they felt was rage against the Titan who had done this to a Prince of Asgard, Jotun or no.

It made Tony wince. What condition exactly did they find him in to make them forgive all he had done? A year of torture at the hands of a Mad Titan. Tony hadn't banked on Loki's interest in him lasting six months let alone a year. Who exactly was he going to find in there if he ever managed to break in?

The opportunity came soon enough when he went looking for Thor to be told that he was with his brother. When Tony got to the room in question, it was closed off by heavy doors and equally heavy guards standing outside.

Tony fell back into old habits. "Is this the way to the TV room?" he said with a wave of the hand.

The two guards remained poker faced.

"Just kidding. I'm looking for Thor. You know, big guy. Blonde hair. Looks a bit like Lassie. Prince."

The guard on Tony's right seemed to be more up-to-date with recent political news and nodded. He turned and raised a gauntleted hand. Suddenly wooden carvings in the door that Tony originally mistook for decorations began to move intricately, sliding back from the frame and at some points passing through each other, until there was the sound of unlocking bolts. The doors opened slightly, enough to allow Tony through.

"That's quite a party trick," Tony said as he darted through.

The room was large and… Tony breathed out a glorious sigh. After a week parted, without even seeing the figure in the bed, he was once again surrounded by Loki. This place was Loki. The furniture, the books, the smell… a weight that he hadn't realised was there suddenly lifted and he felt like falling to the floor.

He didn't though. _I'm not that glad, really. So he's alive? Big deal._

"How is he?" Tony asked.

"Weak, but he will live."

Tony walked over to stand next to Thor and gazed down. Loki was in a loose fitting shirt and trousers of dark green. Tony felt his lips twitching. So, these were Loki's pyjamas? _Nice_. Why did Tony never have a camera when he wanted it?

The healer in the room was fussing over the unconscious god and eventually pulled the covers back over Loki. The old healer man turned to Thor. "He needs rest. As do you, my Prince."

Thor glanced up and shook his head. "For Loki's sake, I asked that the guards not remain in the room. It would not calm him. But there must be someone to ensure that he causes no mischief."

"You think that's likely?" Tony asked, trying to sound incredulous, but he didn't believe it. Even unconscious Loki could probably start a war. Well, maybe not a war. Certainly a punch up.

"Besides, no one's getting past that door – have you seen it? It moves all weirdly." Tony tried to illustrate with his hands but let them drop in the face of the other's expression. He sighed, "Thor, you look like you're about to fall down and sleep were you hit. Go on. I'll stay and keep an eye on the loony tune. He's hardly going to be a problem right now, is he?"

"He will still be stronger than you-"

"But not quicker. Not right now."

Thor conceded. It wouldn't have taken much. "Here," he passed Tony a long sort of bowie knife of bronze.

Tony held it like a society heiress holding a dead rat. "Lovely," he muttered.

"I hope you will not have to use it," Thor said gravely.

Tony stared at the thing. "Yeah… me too. I'm more of a laser sort of guy."

The two left, leaving Tony alone with the sleeping god. As the clicking and thumping ended, securing the room once more, Tony threw the dagger onto a large chair away from him and unconsciously wiping his hand on his shirt. Really, what did he want with a knife? Lasers were cleaner and far cooler.

He gazed down on the sleeping Loki.

_Well, you wanted to see him and there he is. Now what? _

Tony reached out and ran a hand down Loki's pale, handsome face. Then he pulled back and scolded himself with a tsking sound.

What a soppy thing to do. _Don't be such a girl, Tony._

Tony was thumbing through the books a little while later when he heard a vague moan. He dropped the book on a chair, took a breath and walked over to the golden four poster bed. He looked down on the now frowning expression of his god.

Loki's eyes fluttered open and stared blankly at Tony. Green eyes gazed expressionlessly. He closed them briefly and opened them again.

"You know, I was expecting to find more _toys_," Tony said with a mischievous smile.

Loki sighed out. "So you are here. I would not have believed it. I thought you a dream."

"How do you know I'm not?"

"You are not so bothersome in my dreams."

"You fantasise about me often?" Tony smirked.

"Hum…" Loki hummed agreeably, his eyes falling closed again. "Often kneeling at my feet, in front of my throne. Wearing far, far less." Loki opened his eyes and looked at Tony critically. "These clothes suit you."

"No they don't."

"How many times have I dreamed you here, in this room, wearing such clothes that I would immediately pull from your body. Make you scream so loudly that every soul in the glittering gold corridors of Asgard would hear you and know who you worshipped."

Tony considered. Well, had Loki been an Eskimo, he probably would have fantasised about Tony naked in an igloo. Each culture to their own. Tony had to admit it; he had spent nights stroking himself, imagining Loki in a pair of black jeans and green shirt in the back of his Acura.

Loki stared at him hard. "How long? Has it been?"

"Six days since the Bifröst."

_Eight since you've touched me._

Loki closed his eyes, again exhaling in… relief? "I had feared it was longer."

There was silence between the two, but it was comfortable and easy. Loki was wheezing slightly, wincing as flashes of pain wracked his body. Tony felt helpless. With a quick glance to the doors, he sat next to Loki, trying not to disturb the bed and cause the god anymore discomfort. He took Loki's hand gently.

Loki stared up at Tony again. "They've treated you well?"

"Sure."

"Have you caused trouble?"

"Of course."

"That's my boy." Loki whispered and Tony thrilled in the delight he saw on Loki's face.

"Did you know they have meat here that tastes like chicken katsu curry, but isn't, you know, curry? That's just the natural taste of the meat."

"I believe you speak of the stórr hind."

"What's that when it's at home?"

Loki let out a low sigh, making it clear his patience was being stretched, yet he did it with such a little smile that Tony felt encouraged to continue being Tony. "It is a creature much like a deer."

"Ah."

"Only it is four times the size with antlers as large as its body."

"So I've been eating giant katsu curry deer? And no wireless signal to be found anywhere. This is a weird place." Tony found his fingers tracing the veins in Loki's hand. He felt helpless and Tony _did not_ do helpless. "I wish there was something I could be doing." Tony shrugged. "You know, this place is boring."

_And because you're hurting and I want it to stop. _

_What did I just say, Tony? Stop being such a girl!_

Loki's eyes open and he gave Tony what could only be described as _a look_.

"Oh no. No! Not while your parents are home."

"So your offer to help was conditional?" Loki asked harshly. "Or perhaps only said to make yourself feel better?"

"Hey, look-"

"Tony_, I need this_."

Tony paused. _Oh crap._ Loki sounded vulnerable. He looked vulnerable. He looked weak and helpless and beaten. It should make Tony feel strong and powerful. It only made him more desperate to please.

The _boy_ was pushing up inside of him._ Please oh please, touch him. I need to know he's alive._

He glanced at the door in trepidation and then pulled back the covers, quickly turning his attention to opening Loki's trousers and coaxing free the already semi hard length.

"I am so ending up in a jail cell," Tony muttered distractedly. "There's got be a law against taking advantage of a half dead prince."

Loki laughed then stopped himself with a wince. "Tony, you are in Asgard. No matter what compromising position we are discovered in, I will be deemed to be the perpetrator. In Asgardian law, your status is that of a child."

Tony paused, fingers gently caressing Loki's balls as he simmered with annoyance at that statement. _That explains so much._ "Right. And you people don't see how that could be just a little bit insulting?"

"Shut up and put your mouth on me."

"Whatever my god commands," mocked Tony and swallowed him down. His whole body leapt for joy as his tongue explored the cock._ I might never have felt this again. _Tony sucked hard, groaning almost immediately as he lost himself in Loki.

"Yes…" Loki breathed. "My boy… I have felt hollow without you."

_His boy. Loki's boy. _

Tony closed his eyes, losing himself in the taste, the touch, the smell of Loki. He wanted to concentrate, to make it amazing and not run the risk of hurting Loki in this state. Tony's head bounced and bobbed up and down. He hummed deeply in approval as Loki's fingers wound into his hair and gripped hard.

_Loki's boy_. Tony should have it tattooed across his ass. Probably would, after an argument or two, if Loki ordered it. What was he trying to remember? That myth he had read…

Ganymede, that was it. Okay, it wasn't a Norse myth but a Greek one. Still Tony had found it almost perfect. Ganymede, the most beautiful of mortals was abducted by Zeus, the king of the gods, to be his cupbearer in Olympus.

_Because there were a lot of cups to bear, presumably_.

Well, Tony wasn't exactly bearing Loki's cup right now. Though Tony was fairly certain that_ cup bearing _was some kind of ancient Greek euphemism. And let's face it people, Tony was the most beautiful of all mortals, right? Tony was Loki's Ganymede and believe it or not, he was fine with the label.

Tony would never stop joking, never stop arguing, never stop fighting Loki every step of the downward way but he knew now, with a blinding certainly, that he had finally accepted the purpose Loki had spelled out for him at the beginning. It was written on his being indelibly.

_Where the hell had that come?_

_From four days of believing him dead._

Tony pulled his mouth away, but stroked it instead as he spoke. "I belong to you, Loki. I just… I… needed you to know that before I stopped… being serious. I'll always be Tony Stark, but I'll be your boy as long as you want me."

Loki looked down at him, a hard look in his eyes. "Without argument?"

Tony rolled his eyes. "Now, did you not just hear me say that I'd always be Tony Stark?"

Loki leered. "Good. How would I punish you if you were never bad?"

He sounds the same. He feels the same. He tastes the same. Tony tried hard to let himself believe that nothing had changed, but there was still a dark worry within him.

He spat onto Loki's shaft, sat up and pulled his trousers (well they were _leggings_ technically, but Tony refused to say it. _Stupid Asgardian clothes_) down with a sigh. "Oh I'm sure you'd always find a reason. Some people's minds are just fucking devious."

Loki didn't seem to realise what was going on until Tony was positioning himself over the long, hard and straining cock. Then a hand reached up and grabbed Tony's hip. "No. It's not enough, boy. It will hurt."

Tony ignored him and pushed himself down without hesitation. He threw his head back, gritting his teeth, his brow deeply furrowed. Loki was right, of course, there wasn't enough lubrication and the pain was lancing, but it was so worth it to feel that tight stretch.

"Son of a…" Tony breathed in wonderful agony.

Loki groaned. Tony looked down, suddenly alarmed he was hurting the god, but Loki was smiling.

Once he was flush against the fabric of Loki's trousers, he opened heavy lust filled eyes and locked on to Loki's equally licentious gaze. They were both out of breath already.

Tony's mouth opened in a smile that, had he been able to see it through Loki's eyes, rivalled the most debauched looks any lover has given in all of history.

Only Tony Stark could manage to knock all his predecessors out of the running and so early on in his corruption. Of course Tony knew none of what was going on in Loki's head. In a way, he wouldn't have wanted to either.

He grinned mischievously, "What do your laws say about this then?" he asked huskily, rolling his hips.

Loki whole body shuddered in ecstasy. "I told you, boy. You are a child, hapless and naive. By law I am required to have taken better care to preserve your innocence. For the love of Yggdrasil! You are barely thirty seven."

Tony ground up and down for a while, almost biting through his lip to stop his keening from being heard. "Innocent? Seriously?"

"Trust me, there are so many things I could show you, my love."

"Show me." Tony begged. "Show your boy."

"You're an addiction, Tony Stark."

Tony awoke from his revelry at the change in Loki's tone. He had gone deadly serious. Tony stared down at the harsh face. _Seriously? A fucking mood swing? Right now?_

_So he hasn't changed then._

And did _he_ just seriously call _Tony_ the _addiction_?

"You what?" Tony demanded.

Loki was scowling at him now. "This was never supposed to happen. Thor was going to find you, naked, bleeding, torn to pieces in your own tower and he was going to know it was me. But no, I leave! So then he was going to find you naked, kneeling at my feet, servicing me like a little whore! He would see that I had broken you, the Man of Iron, to hurt him. On the Helicarrier no less, but no. So I was going to reveal our liaison to your team in North Korea. In front of everyone I would destroy you before taking the Bifröst Sword. I was going to tell them _exactly_ how I had known of its location."

Loki banged his fist down on the bed with an angry laugh and a hiss of pain. "None of it happened because there would be another night and you would look at me _like that_, with _those eyes_ and I would find myself leaving you unconscious in the bed. Leaving you used and spent and helpless and I would leave, thinking of _nothing_ but my return."

_All of it, lies! Don't let him fuck with your head again!_

"You _manipulate_ me- don't you dare deny it, boy! You fight to keep me chasing and when I am finally done with you, when I finally find the strength to kill you, you insufferable little quim, you turn those… those _damned_ _eyes_ upon me! You dare tell me that you do not do so deliberately? That the infuriating child suddenly becomes the crooning boy without intention?"

_Yes, actually! Though I take your point, I don't get it either._

"You feed every need I have to love you. _I love you_. And you know – _you know_ what you do to me! You're an _addiction_, Tony Stark. You were meant to _die_. You're so… dangerous. You have crawled under my skin and I cannot be free of you. And you're just a _mannligr_, vexatious lágr barn! How have you done this to me?"

_How have you done this to me?_ How many nights had Tony uttered that, blaming this man for his destruction?

Tony's eyes widened slightly as he took in the sight of an increasingly agitated god beneath him. Maybe it was because he was home and he was emotional, but Loki's tongue had slipped into Asgardian. And after his dull four days wondering the palace, Tony had developed a bit of an ear for it, though he still had no idea what any of it meant.

_I don't think he's lying this time… though it's entirely possible that he's gone as insane in a year as I've done in four days._

Loki gritted his teeth, hissing, "I was tortured by Thanos' dark designs for a _year_ and all I- All I could think about was how I would never have you again. I imagined you finding another, rutting with some common creature not worthy of you. That _beast_ taking claim over _what's mine_! Seeing it taking you and you crooning for it like you did for me. My boy! Mine! I had nightmares of you growing old, dying… losing… No. No!"

Loki's hand grabbed a stunned Tony by the hair and even in his weakened state he yanked him down roughly, burying his boy's face in his neck. His other powerful arm wrapped around him and held him so tight that Tony had a horrible moment of not being able to breathe.

"No. I own you, Tony Stark. Þegja minn vœnn sveinbarn, I won't let you go. Because I decided, lying there as evil tortures destroyed me. I decided if I ever got free of Thanos, I would no longer lie to myself. Because I have been, believing that the day of your death was only in postponement. No. You're mine. I will make you mine, make you immortal and you will live eternity at my feet. Naked and mewling and mine. Completely. Accept it. There is nowhere you can go; there is nowhere you can hide where I will not drag you back to my bed, my little boy. Accept now that you are the property of a god, to be cherished and used until the end of time."

There was a long pause. "Okay," Tony croaked and swallowed. "Good to know."

Loki's hips ploughed into him and Tony could do nothing but gasp and wince because the clutch on him barely allowed him to even squirm. He couldn't move, he couldn't fight, he could barely breathe. This was a different sort of power from their other couplings. Normally, Loki's hold on him would be through bondage or verbal command, but Tony was still able to thrash and flail.

This was different. Loki was literally holding Tony to his body, one hand still stroking and tugging his hair as he fucked him into insanity. Drove into his body with a power the god hadn't used before. He was holding Tony so tightly it was as though his darling boy would disappear if he let go.

Loki was muttering, murmuring love into Tony's ear. It wasn't that he was expecting the boy to reply or even listen. It just seemed to be things he needed to say. "I dreamt of you, of your body. Of your eyes. Of your mouth. And when I awoke I tried to discover how long it had been. How long I had been imprisoned. I had nightmares that it had been years and you were gone. Oh minn sveinbarn."

The pounding hips grew faster. Tony choked back a yelp as his eyes crossed slightly. Loki's gasping moans in Tony's ear made his cock twitch and throb hard. Generally Loki managed to stay pretty composed during sex. Now he seemed to be panting and groaning without control. It made Tony so excited.

"Oh my little boy, you feel so good, so tight. Ah, já, yes! I love you, minn sváss, I need you. I need your eyes, I nauðsyn ykkarr líkami. Oh Tony, oh yes! I have pined for every second of this for so long. Yes! I am going to fill you, minn sveinbarn. Fill you up now and for the rest of ykkarr líf."

Tony didn't mean to struggle in Loki's grip, but the sensations thrumming through his body were becoming shattering. His cock was rubbing against Loki's stomach with the gods every pounding thrust and it was making his eyes cross in the orgasmic anguish. His breath was restricted, his back aching from the violent pounding. He tried to squirm, tried to create some space between them to breath, to think, but Loki's grip tightened and Tony felt his ribs protesting as the pressure increased. He gasped and choked.

"Neinn, neinn, don't fight me, minn sveinbarn. þegja and accept. It's over, Tony. Lie still and accept your god has returned. Accept that you will never escape me now."

Tony nodded into Loki's neck, trying to convey it wasn't escape he was after. He didn't want Loki to think he was trying to leave, but tears sprang into his eyes as the sensation reached a new peak. The need to keep quiet, to keep the sound in buried in his chest was creating a glorious panic inside of him. He wailed through gritted teeth and panted, his body shuddering.

"Yes, yes, such a good boy! That's right. You will know what it is to be loved by a god. You will worship now and forever. Ek elska þik, minn sveinbarn." Loki's hand was still stroking his hair, still holding him immoveable.

Encased in strong, powerful arms, his face pressed against the hot skin of Loki's neck, his ass being taken more roughly than he had ever remembered.

And all the while, Tony was biting his tongue hard to stop too much noise as images of being caught like this by Thor flooded his mind. Fuck. And the way Loki was going at it, even if Thor and all of Asgard did walk in, Loki probably still wouldn't stop until he was finished. The whole thing was devastating on Tony's body and sanity, but Tony knew this was what Loki needed.

Hey, when Tony had got out of captivity in Afghanistan, he had gone for an all American cheese burger and then held a press conference tearing down his own company. Good times. To each his own, right?

"Loki, please, I have to cum," Tony whimpered desperately.

"Shh, neinn. A little longer, boy."

Tony laughed, a sob caught in his throat. Fuck, how could he be so happy? "Bastard." he hissed with a smile.

At the very edge of Tony's limit, the command was given and he was just able to force his hand down between their two tightly pressed bodies to reach his throbbing cock. Tony licked and sucked Loki's neck like a man possessed as he began quickly stroking himself to climax.

Loki came first and managed to do it completely silently, burying his face into Tony's hair and trembling. Tony, on the other hand, found a strong hand covering his mouth as he yelled out in bliss.

_I could have lost this._

**A/N: Two quick notes. First, as I regrettably never learnt to speak Asgardian at school (my mind must have wandered), I'm using Old Norse. I fully confess that I trawled the internet for an English-Old Norse dictionary and found some common phraseology. I do not vouch for their accuracy! **

**Besides, there are bound to be some spelling differences between Nordic and Asgardian.**

**Second, I know other fanfics often provide a translation when they cross languages. I'm not going to do that because if Tony doesn't know what Loki's saying then neither should you! But of course, feel free to Google away. Thanks guys as ever!**


	18. Chapter 18: Marked

The god and his mortal lay for a little while, panting and crooning in each other's arms. Neither wanted to move. Loki's hands ran over and over Tony's hot, wet skin. Tony wanted to feel Loki's naked body against him, but the pyjamas were in the way. But in a way, it was appropriate. Tony had been here for Loki rather than himself. And, in truth, Tony had gained what he needed from this manic coupling in any case.

_Stop over analysing. Just relax._

Tony breathed out, jumping slightly as it came out in a low moan. One of his god's hands moved down to stroke and pat Tony's behind possessively, the other travelled up and stroked the goatee. "I had toyed with the idea of tying you up and shaving this off."

"Before I wake up," Tony muttered thickly, "You can do what you want with me." Tony rolled his shoulders slightly, pulling himself together. "And now I'm awake, touch my goatee and I'll kill you."

"I will make you cum while I do it. Tied to a chair and brought to climax while I ran the blade over your skin. Over and over again until you are drained, smooth faced, and unconscious."

_Wasn't exactly a service you got at the local barbers._

It also occurred to Tony that Loki's little fantasy sounded rather well thought out. He groaned, "You've had a year-"

"To dream of you. And plan. Design my games for if I ever found you again. Every second I swore to myself that I would do it all to you with no hesitation and such a little slut you are, I should not have held back before. Your body aches for my every whim."

"Sounds good to me," Tony breathed. Then he shook his head and rolled his eyes. "A boy toy to a god."

"The God of Mischief's little whore," Loki clarified with a wry chuckle. "If I were any other, I would almost feel sorry for you."

"This is different, isn't it?" Tony said. "Something's changed. You weren't talking like this last week."

"Last week. Last week was a year ago for me, Tony." Loki pushed Tony off and Tony flopped onto the bed by his side. "You must bathe me before anyone arrives."

Tony muttered darkly as he worked out how to move his limbs again. Was it one foot in front of the other, or the other way round? It was in his interest as much as Loki's not to get caught like this. Tony stumbled his way to a bathroom off the main room and found all he needed.

Not long later, he returned, now clean and clothed, with a basin of water and a couple of towels for Loki. "First time I've done this," he muttered.

"It won't be the last," Loki replied smoothly.

Tony glowered at the smug fucker. "Can't you just magic yourself tidy?" he demanded, thumping the basin down on the side table.

"My magic has been bound. Odin is not stupid, no matter what else he may be."

Tony grumbled, "He's got no sense of humour, that's for sure."

"You spoke with the All Father?"

"Yeah, once or twice."

"And yet you live?"

"Hey!" Tony glared at Loki's little smile and turned away before he felt it returned on his own face. He got down to business, dipping a hand towel into the water and wringing it out slightly.

He paused.

"Boy," said a soothing voice. "Do not over think things so."

Tony reached out and ran the cloth down the visible part of Loki's stomach, mopping up the result of his own orgasm. That was something he had noticed now he was with a man. Sex was a lot messier, particularly as while Loki would cum in Tony, Tony was left just to cum over the bed.

Tony shook his head against a descending haze of lust. For once, he was trying to do the right thing and focus more on his partner than himself. _Let's not ruin that now. _

"It may be easier if you undressed me first," Loki said and that contemptuous tone was back.

"Your clothes were on the entire time," Tony objected.

"Boy…" The tone was warning and Tony bit back his retort.

I mean really, what could the man do to him right now? But, if Tony wanted to play the game then he had to play the game. He began to strip Loki and pulled back in alarm as he saw the marks of-

A hand reached up and cupped his face. "They will heal," Loki said soothingly, stroking Tony's dark eyebrow with a thumb. "You will not see them in a few days."

"Fuck what I see or don't see, Loki, what happen-"

Fingers pressed over his mouth. "Boy… please."

Tony closed his briefly eyes, nodded, then returned to his work. Every time he pulled back more fabric more of Loki's torture flashed through his mind. Everything that you could possibly conceive of being done to a body had its trace here as well as marks Tony couldn't fathom. It made him ill.

He forced down the bile of anger that was rising up in his throat. Loki didn't want to hear a tirade from Tony that he would hunt the fucker down and make him pay because that was Tony's job. Tony was here, in Loki's opinion, to be cared for and controlled. Protected. Not to fight for Loki. So Tony didn't say it.

But that didn't mean he wasn't going to. _One day I'll find this fucker and he will burn._

He dipped the cloth back into the warm water and started with Loki's face, smoothing away all the lines, running down his neck, gliding over the wounds in his arms as delicately as he could. Loki's eyes half shut, still staring at Tony but heavy with exhaustion and pain. But as Tony moved the cloth gently over the horribly marked skin, he could see the muscles in Loki's body relaxing.

Tony noticed three large round marks on each of Loki's arms which could have been made by large metal bolts driving through skin, muscle and bone, and securing him to-

"Boy…" Loki whispered.

Tony blinked and carried on. Loki was watching him carefully, green eyes focusing on every expression that ran over Tony's face and calling him back when he became too intense.

Tony moved onto his chest, gathering up more water in the rag and bathing Loki's body with care. As he passed, his head dipped down quick to flick a tongue against a nipple before moving on.

Loki chuckled and shook his head.

He ran the cloth in smaller and smaller circles around Loki's stomach and a 'U', a long scar caught his eye, traveling from just above the hip, down to almost the crotch, before travelling up again, perfectly positioned for the intestines-

"Tony."

Tony turned, restocked the cloth, trying to ignore the red swirls as blood from the cloth dancing out into the water and pulled the covers on the bed back further. He spent a little time on Loki's feet, noting but not lingering on the horrific burns there, before dragging the cloth up the legs, legs which bore the same round marks as the arms. When he made it back to the crotch, he planted a brief kiss before quickly cleaning him up.

"Can I… would it hurt too much to turn you?"

Loki shifted his back slightly, cringing and shook his head. "Perhaps, but I would prefer to try."

Tony helped Loki turned and every wince the man gave was like a dagger in Tony's heart. When he was on his front, Tony felt his stomach churn. If he had thought the front had been bad…

"Tony."

Tony soaked his cloth and started on Loki's back, being as gentle as he could. But the cloth was becoming stained and too unclean to use. "Hang on, man," Tony said, coughing against his tight throat. "I'm just going to run in and grab another cloth."

Tony walked quickly to the marble stoned bathroom and grabbed a cloth. He took a moment before going back out, the image of that back sharp in his mind's eye. Tony breathed hard against the emotion, threw a fist out and punched the wall with a silent yell.

_The fucker's going to burn!_

"Got it." Tony said, coming back in and climbing back on the bed with Loki.

"And damaged your fist while doing it." Loki said wryly.

Tony glared at the back of Loki's head. "How did you- never mind. I don't care."

"If you ever harm yourself again I will be most displeased. I can harm you well enough without you taking that into your own hands."

Tony bit back a retort. _What exactly can you do about it like this?_ But Tony didn't say it. He didn't say it because Loki wanted to be told he was powerless just as much as Tony wanted to accept his god was powerless.

Tony returned to washing Loki's back, forcing himself to keep going despite Loki's painful flinches.

It wasn't too long after that Loki was clothed in fresh pyjamas and tucked back into bed as though nothing had happened. The basin and towels were disposed of and Tony returned to Loki with a yawn.

"That's another thing about this place. The time zones are f-, excuse me, are _darned_ up. When I left it was 3pm on Tuesday 7th November. When I arrived it was 7am yester-year. What the hell's up with that?"

Loki ignored him.

Tony slid down, his chest on Loki's, his head just above the god's. "Go on, give us a kiss." he teased.

Loki shook his head. "If I could move, boy, I would beat you."

"Good thing you can't."

"It will only postpone your punishment."

"Oh goodie." Tony's head fell down against Loki's shoulder.

Loki's hand grasped his bruised fist and held it up for inspection. "Don't ever do that again."

"Whatever."

Loki tsked. Tony rolled his eyes and felt a hand reach up and stroke his back soothingly. He sunk a little further into Loki's arms. "What now?"

"I will escape, find you and bend you over the counter until you beg me for mercy." Loki growled.

Tony raised his head and glowered back. "Well as thrilling as that idea is." he snarled, "How are you going to get past the guards and the big _Slidey Puzzle of Doom Door_? I don't know what's worse; the idea of you out there plotting the world's end or you in here where I can never touch you ag- okay, yeah that's worse."

Loki shrugged casually, wincing slightly. "I know Asgard and its people. They are slow to try anything new and loathe to let go of anything old." Loki smiled. "Perhaps that is why I find it so easy to cause chaos. And besides, the last time I escaped, my motivator was the destruction of Thor. Now I have another more pressing reason. I shall not be parted from you again, boy."

"_Another_," Tony said hollowly. "Another reason, rather than an alternative? You can't just leave Thor be, can you?"

Loki was silent. Tony's head fell back against Loki's shoulder. "This is so messed up."

"It matters not. You will accept your position, which is all that is expected from you."

"What-" _did you mean 'make me immortal'_, Tony was going to ask, before he heard a sound like bolts drawing back. "Shit!" he exclaimed, jumping off the bed and hurrying away.

"Your language will always be the source of reasons to punish you, boy." came a sighing voice behind him.

Thor walked in through the doors, looking far better than last he'd been there. Thor was about to speak when he caught sight of Loki's open eyes. Thor's manner changed. Tony was surprised. It wasn't hatred, or anger, or stiffness. Thor was sorry for Loki. Loki was delicate.

Now, it wasn't that Tony wasn't sorry for Loki. But he didn't treat him like some injured woodland creature. For Tony, Loki was a powerhouse to be sniped at, rebelled against and worshiped. He was perhaps getting a better idea of why Loki had chosen Tony for his boy. He couldn't think of anyone else of mutual acquaintance that would treat Loki in quite the same manner.

"Brother, how are you feeling?"

Loki remained silence. Tony felt the need to play Tony for all he was worth. "Tried that. Silent as a statue. A broody statue."

"I would have thought a few hours in Tony's company would find your voice, brother. If only to demand him to be taken away and executed," Thor said kindly to his battered sibling.

"Excuse me!" Tony said, "Still in the room here."

Thor turned with a gentle smile. "Thank you my friend. They are serving the evening meal in the great hall. Please do go eat."

"No, I'd rather stay," Tony said, his heart crying out for it. As Thor turned around, looking perplexed (an emotion he did so well) Tony smiled and turned to leave. "I mean, he's such a hoot and all."

_Tony Stark, master of sarcasm, slave to his own insincerity._

Tony would normally ask food to be brought to him in his quarters, but tonight he went to the great hall, not to eat, but to walk out onto one of the balconies.

He had to give the place something; it did have the most incredible views. Glittering towers of white and gold stretching out to an immense wall. And beyond that, fields of green, lakes and woods. It was in Asgard as a whole, rather than the palace and glittering corridors that Tony could picture Loki. The views elegant and regal, the forests dark and unknowable... Tony knew that Loki belonged to this world as completely as Tony belonged to his lab and Tower.

_Someone's going to lose, Loki or me. And neither of us will back down._

A thoroughly dismal Tony stood there for a long time before he heard a rustle behind him. He turned to see a tall, thin woman with her hair in an elegant mound on her head. She looked old, or at least, older than some of the women he had seen around here and she was gazing at him with steady eyes.

"Erm, sorry. Is this your spot?" Tony asked, moving aside.

"We have yet to meet. My name is Frigga."

"Really? That's unfortunate." Far too late for the rate his mouth moved a memory shifted in Tony's head and he grimaced before he had even finished talking. "And you're Thor's mother. The _queen_ no less. Great. His father, his friends, his brother and now his mother. I'm just giving Thor every reason in the world to hit me with that hammer. I'll go."

"Tarry a while, I am not offended. I wished to speak to you."

Tony pulled a face, his back to Frigga. He really didn't want to chat to the crazy brothers' mother. "Alright…" he said warily.

"You seem to have a lot on your mind," she said, moving to face the horizon.

"Well, yes. Flying through a magic portal which apparently could have killed me, landing in a world of mythology, suck in a palace for four days yes. I've got a bit on my mind. And this place… It's certainly different from New York. I was wondering why Thor would bother himself with Earth if he had…" Tony gestured to the scenery, "All this?"

"Thor has a good heart. He cares for all very deeply."

"Like the Jane girl." Tony supplied and paused in vague alarm. "You did know about that, right?"

Frigga laughed and nodded. "It pleases me that Thor has found such a woman."

"Really?"

"He loves her."

"The fact that she's human-"

"Inconsequential."

"But she'll die." Tony prompted. He felt bad taking to Thor's mother about his girlfriend, but he couldn't think of any other way to get the information he wanted. "That will probably upset Point- er, Thor a bit."

Frigga gazed at him and smiled. It was a little too knowing for Tony's liking. "My boys know what they want. They are strong willed men. To find and settle on anyone is far beyond what I ever hoped. I know what it is you are asking me and I shall tell you. For you have the right to know and I fear my son has not been forthcoming. When an Asgardian takes a Midgard as a brid- a companion, there is an effect known as the binding. A joining of souls-"

"I don't believe in those." Tony said quickly.

"An essence, a spirit, whatever you like to call it. I could spin it into a great romance, but it is not so. It allows a Midgardian to remain in this realm. You only stand here now by the will of the All Father and the effort has been a great strain upon him. Were his mind to wander, you could be thrown down to your world in seconds, or shatter into the void."

Was it Tony's imagination or was the ground beneath his feet suddenly a lot less solid? And he had sworn at the asshole. "Do me a favour and thank him for me, would you?"

"The mortal lives as long as the Asgardian lives. If the Asgardian dies, the human dies… it is not a pretty death. If the human dies… the Asgardian mourns. That is why I do not claim it to be the great romance. It is nothing more than ensuring the Midgardian remains at the Asgardian's side for as long as they are wanted." Frigga sighed a little sadly. "Happiness is all I want for my children. My only objection is their choices create such an… _uneven_ form of devotion. The mortal, after the binding, takes on the mantel of a prœll. A Thrall. It is another word for-"

"A slave." Tony said hollowly. "Yeah. I knew that one, actually."

"The ritual itself is called þja ey. Which I'm afraid loses its poetry in translation. It means quite literally _enslaved forever_." Frigga smiled gently and sadly. "Thor is a good and honourable man and has explained this all in great detail to his Jane Foster. He has left it to her and awaits her judgment."

And here was Loki, already apparently set on the idea and leaving Tony to find out the facts from his _mother_, of all people. _Just great._

"Thor and Jane are a great pair. I'm sure there will be little Thor-lings running around before you know it," Tony laughed distractedly. "With little hammers and telescopes."

Frigga smiled. "Thor has rarely been my concern. He had his years of misadventure, but has always been destined to become the great and high King he was purposed for. It has always been for my troubled Loki I feared. Now, I feel less reason for distress. I love my son, but I am not blind to his faults. For him to think of anyone other than himself is an abundant improvement."

_Shit shit shit. _This old woman and Bruce need to form some sort of detective agency, they'd be unstoppable. How about the Frigg'n'Hulk?

Tony coughed. "Well. I'm going to-" he had no idea what but turned and began walking quickly to the lights and bustle of the main hall.

"Anthony or Tony?"

"I'm sorry?"

"Your name is Anthony Stark, Man of Iron, but my son refers to you as Tony."

_He refers to be as boy, actually. Oh right. You mean the other one._

"Tony. People call me Tony, I'm Tony. Hi."

"Tony. You should know no laws are placed on our people on their choice of companion, so long as they defend their decisions to those who would make comment."

"Fascinating. Well would you look at the time-"

"Thor would never criticise on that front but it is the manner to which he will most violently object."

Tony's fast retreating back halted. He glowered at the woman with narrow eyes. "What exactly do you mean by that? And what are you planning on telling Thor?"

"Please do not be alarmed, I meant nothing sinister. Only that Loki's actions would, in Thor's mind, be a great betrayal of him and everything he holds dear. Thor sees you as brother in arms and to such he'll afford a lifetime of respect and love. I will tell him nothing and neither," she said, seemingly trying to underline a point here, "will his father."

Odin knows.

_Triple shit._

Frigga looked at him sympathetically. "Had the All Father _not_ known of Loki's actions on Midgard, he would not have allowed you to cross into Asgard. Forgive me, but Asgard is no place for an unbound mortal. Odin brought you here for one of two reasons; for you to have your say in the Judgement Halls when Loki's crimes reckoned. There you would be able to reveal the corruptions committed upon you. Odin would take it into consideration in Loki's resentencing-"

"I'm not a child!" Tony retorted heatedly. "I beg for what he gives me!"

_You're talking to his mother! Shut the fuck up!_

"Or," Frigga continued, sensibly ignoring the outburst like only a mother could, "you would be here to see his return and to help him. Heal him in a way that only a _lover_ can. No father, or brother or even mother can reach so deep and touch so soothingly as a lover can and pull from a sufferer the venom that pains them. Your presence alone might persuade Loki to see the error of his ways. For your sake, Loki may even allow himself to be helped by the All Father. To return to his place in the golden court as is the wish of his family. Either way, your decision must be made before such revelations brought to light."

"Decision?"

"The binding of an Asgardian and a lesser-" Frigga caught herself in time, giving him a shamed look, "please forgive me. Between an Asgardian and one from a mortal race; it cannot be done in secret or behind your back when your attention is diverted. You will be conscious of the ritual. Loki can't force it upon you… practically speaking."

"Practically?"

"He could force you to choose it as the lesser of evils."

Tony laughed and looked up at the night sky. "Oh, your boy is such a nice guy I'm sure he wouldn't possibly do that," Tony said wryly. He shook his head and said, "I fear to offend _Milady_, but your people are pretty fucked up, you know? I can't believe it; I'm standing here with fucking Ma Barker. Just because you've got the invincibility and the big fancy castle and a giant hammers doesn't make the rest of us cattle! Listen lady, I am nobody's fucking _slave_!" Tony spat that with a much more venom than he had intended and immediately regretted it.

_Fuck Thor's going to kill me and kill me dead._

_RIP Tony Stark._

But to Tony's surprise, Frigga simply nodded gently. "I agree. But there it is. Our talk would have been gravely different had I believed other than I do. Had you not persuaded Thor to let you come to Asgard. Had you not gone willing to Loki and spent hours with him as you have done." She sighed. "If I had believed other than I do, this conversation would have ended with my reassurances that you would never see Loki again. You would have my word that Loki would pay for his sins against you. As it is, my hopes are that once this unfortunate time has passed and my son seen the error of his ways, you may be walking these halls as a prince's consort."

_Tony Stark, Prince Consort. That's better than slave. Food for thought._

"And you claim not to believe in souls." she said easily, walking towards him and placing a hand over his arc reactor. "When I see such a soul glowing inside you."

Tony swallowed. Adopted mother or not, Loki was most definitely raised by this woman. Okay, so Loki used his words to manipulate and control. She used them to calm and cajole. She gave you the impression that you could sob your heart out for hours, then she would merely have to whisper a few words of encouragement and you'd be ready to take on an invading army with your teeth.

Such was the nature of a soldier's wife, he supposed.

"It's a magnet, actually."

"Really?" she said kindly, her eyes opening slightly conveying interest and silently inspiring him to go on.

"Yeah, an electromagnet. Keeps the shrapnel away from my heart."

Frigga laughed delicately. Tony didn't really see the joke in it so he asked. She smiled, "I believe you perform much the same purpose for my son."

Tony felt himself smiling inside, but forced it away because that was just too soppy a thought. And he'd been soppy enough on this trip to last a lifetime.

"Look, I'm… I apologise if anything I said came across as… a little terse?"

"It is understandable," she said compassionately. "You are only a child."

"Oh come on! Why does everyone- I'm almost forty!" Tony wailed.

That's when the chaos started.


	19. Chapter 19: Loki'd

Golden armoured warriors were running down corridors in squads. Serving men and women had to throw themselves back to avoid the charging groups. There were yells and complete pandemonium filling the night air. The warriors three, accompanied by an amazon like woman Thor had pointed out as Sif and who had survived her injuries from Thanos' realm, all stood up from the table and ran from the hall.

"I'm going to put all my money on Loki's escaped." Tony said to the world in general. "And that's a lot of money."

Over the sound of chaos came Thor's bellowing shout as he attempted to control his men. Tony rushed into the corridor and was almost flattened by a gang of running golden horned guards. Jinxing and weaving, Tony made his way through the corridors, finally finding his… _efficient_ stature useful.

_Not small, he wasn't small._ He just happened to be in a world of freaking giants.

He made it to the bedroom and skidded in his tracks. "Oh."

Loki turned and smiled. "Oh," he said back with a cheeky smile. He was standing in the middle of the room, dressed in his golden Asgardian armour; horns and staff and everything, and looked full and whole. It was so much more the Loki Tony had wanted to find, rather than the shattered wreck he had.

"And what has minn vœnn sveinbarn-" Loki caught himself, apparently realising for the first time his language had been slipping between English and Asgardian. He smiled, closing his eyes and clearing his throat before continuing, looking a little shamed faced, "What has _my beautiful boy_ been up to?"

_Beautiful boy. I may never have heard those words again, no matter what the language. _

_And now I have, it still pisses me off._

Tony pointed out of the door, a little befuddled. "You know there's a whole army of angry guys out looking for you?"

Loki smile broadened and he shook his head. "They can search. I am already gone."

Tony's face dropped as he finally figured it out. He walked up to Loki and his hands passed straight through his chest. He felt the disappointment crush him as he turned his head and walked away. "I'm not talking to a shadow."

"I don't have to be." Hands grabbed him and threw him back into the room.

Tony scrabbled to his feet and before Loki could… whatever the hell he was planning, Tony blurted out, "I'm not binding with you."

Loki paused. Tony rethought that. "I'm not sure that's grammatically correct. I'm not doing _that_ with you. þja ey," he said, his pronunciation cumbersome on the unfamiliar syllables. "No. Never."

Loki's face was… Tony hadn't realised that such a stupidly blurted out sentiment could hurt a man so much.

Well, alright. Of course he knew the damage it could cause. He had done it to so many people. The problem with intelligent people is that their weapon of choice was first and foremost their words. And words cut too deep. At least the dumb would just throw a fist and be done.

But this was the first time in a long while that the look the target of his words gave him wounded Tony so much.

Loki was… hurt.

Then the gods face curled into a sneer. "_þja ey_," Loki said smoothly, correcting Tony's fumbled attempt. "Eternal binding. And I don't see how you'll have a choice in the matter. So tell me child, who would I have to threaten, to torture, to kill for you to change your mind?"

"No." Tony walked forward quickly. "No! Look, let's not fall into this Disney villain-assed shit of – look," he said, thumping his hands on his chest. "I am not a princess or some great prize to be won! I am just Tony Stark. I'm not worth it. Well, I am worth it, obviously. But you don't want to be stuck with me for all time any more than I would. This is all some…"

"Who has been talking to you? Father would not speak of this to a Midgardian and I assume you would not dare to tell Thor while I could not defend myself. So then who…" Loki looked away as his mind worked, then shut his eyes in anger. "Mother…" he hissed indignantly.

"So, wait… Thor's _not_ your brother, Odin's _not_ your father but Frigga-"

"I nursed from her, was raised by her, I slept in her arms! She is my mother!" Loki snapped viciously.

_Okay, touchy subject. Someone's clearly got a few issues…_

"Let's just cool our engines here a moment. Maybe it just didn't come out how I meant it," Tony sighed. "It's just… Loki, for fucks sake, you're practically asking me to marry you!"

"No."

"No?"

"No. I'm telling you."

"Oh you're such a romantic," Tony sniped.

_Look who's talking. Every Valentine's gift you've ever brought everyone was underwear._

"I… just found out that you want to _marry_ me through your mother. You're all talking crazy Asgardian all the time; I'm only getting one word in ten here. And now you've disappeared off and I'm alone, again, and… I don't know, I think I'm having a rough day. My head hurts and I just want to lie down for a bit with a bottle of something toxic." Tony finished in a whinge.

_It's been a long, long night._

Loki licked his lips; his temper mercifully dying as he took in Tony's defeated state. "You are mine, Tony Stark."

"Yes," Tony whispered.

"You will belong to me for all eternity."

"Yes, I will."

"And all I promise is, while you will live to regret having ever flashed those sweet eyes at me, you will never be happier, safer or more satisfied. Look at me, boy."

Tony's eyes flicked up and were immediately captured in Loki's glare.

"Do you believe me?"

Tony chewed his tongue. "Yes."

"Yes what?"

"Yes, my god."

Out in the night, the shouting was dying down as Loki's hundreds of clones began winking out one by one.

"Your mother… the _Queen of Asgard_," Tony had to say it because if he didn't keep reminding himself this was really happening, he could swear it could be just some bizarre dream. "Your mother has just given her, and Odin's, blessing that I might one day be your… thrall."

_A long, long night and getting rapidly longer._

"I care little for what they think."

"The _Queen of Asgard_ is apparently hoping that I'm going to be her son-in-law," Tony repeated. He seemed to be trying to make Loki understand which was bizarre. Loki well understood, it was Tony himself who needed to wrap his head around it.

"You are a god among men on Earth, Anthony Stark. Where else could you be but in these halls and in my bed?"

"Prince Consort Tony Stark. I have to tell you, it sounds better as a title than boy or slut."

"Why would I share your pet name with the world? It is mine to use while you are on your knees."

Tony wanted to be on his knees right now.

_Oh have some pride Tony!_

"Or slave," Tony muttered darkly.

"My, she was thorough, wasn't she? Did she warn you of unequal love?" Loki sneered mockingly.

"She said that if you died, I died. But not the other way round. What a jip."

Loki looked up and round, his head rising off his shoulders like a dog sniffing the air. He glanced away distractedly and sighed. "Before I must regrettably leave, with the promise that I will return to you, my love, and punish you in such a way you will beg for more and mercy, let me leave you with another thought to ponder."

Loki's lips captured Tony and kissed him until he felt giddy.

Tony sighed, his hot breath on Loki's lips. _Well, now look who's suddenly turned all romantic? And from Loki, of all people. That was actually quite a sweet…_

Tony stood bolt upright, staring at Loki in fascinated horror as he felt hands run down his back. In front of him, Loki's hands played with the collar of his shirt.

"Oh my god…" he said in a shudder.

Loki's clone… correction, they were both clones. How had Tony forgotten that already? The real Loki was out there somewhere and these were just projections of Loki's mind; his devious, bent and twisted mind, both groping and kissing and…

"Holy fuck!" Tony gasped, an uncontrollable giggle building in his chest.

"Language, boy," both shadows whispered.

And they were gone.

Thor came charging into the room to find Tony bent over, cracking up with hysterical laughter. He saw Thor's expression and that pushed him over the edge again, laughing until he thought his chest would explode. He raised a hand and pointed at the astonished hero, gasping through the laughs and tears, "We just so totally got Loki'd!"

_Oh come on, gimme a break! It's been a long night._

Even as the early hours of the morning stuck, it was still chaotic, with guards searching everywhere. To show willing, Tony donned his suit and flew out in search of a man he knew was already long gone. Thor knew it too, Tony could tell. But Thor held out hope that his brother would not so easily abandon his home. Tony disagreed.

But he felt better for flying. It gave him a while to gather himself again. Asgard was not the right place for him, he was bored and desperate and untethered here. Tony needed to get home to his lab. He couldn't deal with Asgard. He had been honestly worried he may have lost his mind back in Loki's quarters.

_No, it's okay. You've only gone and lost your heart. _

_That's cool, I can deal with that._

Marriage. Even Pepper hadn't managed to drag that kind of commitment out of him. And Loki was liable to pull him up the aisle by the hair. Tony spent a purely devious few seconds trying to image who would wear the dress. He decided it had to be Loki; he had the legs for it.

After hours of searching and not a thing found of Loki, he was waved back to the palace in the early hours of the morning. Arrangements were made for the playboy billionaire to return to Earth. Back in the Throne Room, hunting party disbanded for now, Thor looked tired and abashed.

"Please, convey the message to the Avengers and bring my deepest apologies. To think we brought Loki back so close to his prison and possible redemption, only for him to escape again." It was crashing down hard on Thor and Tony felt his heart bleed for him. "It is humiliating."

Tony slapped him on the back. "Come on, man. Look on the bright side. Had he been brought down to his cell, okay, that would have been the end of it. But how then would you have had a legitimate excuse to knock a bit of sense into him with dear Mjölner?"

A wearisome smile crept over Thor's thin lips. "How is it Tony, you make me smile at such a wicked thing?"

"I've been told I appeal to the worse in human nature. Same thing must apply to the gods, surely."

Thor looked up and over the crowd assembled in the Throne Room, all expecting answers when they had none to give. Tony was glad he was skipping town.

"Tell me; what were you and my mother speaking of last night?" Thor asked.

"What?"

Thor looked slightly ashamed, but pressed on. "When Loki disappeared, there were… suggestions."

"Of…?"

"Understand, Tony, it is simply because you are not one of us. And Loki, in many people's eyes, is not one of us. The natural thought is-"

"That those are who are not one of you are lying, scheming bastards?"

"No offense is meant, my friend."

"No, it sounds like they got it right." Tony said cheerfully. "In my capacity of the President of the Lying, Scheming Bastards Association, or the LSBA, I've got to tell you, your brother is a shoe in."

_Oh poor Thor._ Tony mustn't have waved the 'this is sarcasm' flag high enough. Then again, the poor guy looked run off his feet. And whereas exhaustion in Tony generally presented as hysteria, jokes coming thick and fast, in Thor, it seemed to manifest as confused brooding.

"The LSBA… what is that?" he asked perplexedly.

"Er, I think it's the Louisiana State Bar Association. Lawyers. So I wasn't far wrong."

Thor's mind returned to the original conversation which Tony had been hoping he wouldn't do. But Thor had that stolid intelligence of the not exceptionally bright. Well, not compared to Tony. Those people didn't grasp an idea quickly, but when they did, they ran with it until they threatened to run you over.

"Mother vouched that when the news came, you seemed just as shocked as everyone else. Her assurances stilled the tongues of those who would stir up trouble. I was merely curious as to what you and she were discussing before my brother escaped."

"Talking about the time you rode you horse into a tree." Tony said.

"I do not recall."

"Brain damage probably." Tony shrugged. "We weren't talking about anything really. She was just being nice when she had absolutely no reason to be."

Thor smiled. "Yes. She is a remarkable woman."

Tony had to agree as he caught her eye across the room. "Yeah. I think I like her," Tony said. Then he caught Thor's look and said, "No. No, no, not like that. Never like that. No."

"That is good, my friend. It would devastate me to have to kill you," Thor said with a casual smile, looking as though at this precise moment it probably wouldn't devastate him that much.

"And it would devastate me to die, so we're all good. No. She's not my type. Too old. No, not too old, of course not, just, old. Not that I would if she were younger- Look, I just meant - she's an interesting woman- person. Hang on, where's my helmet?" Tony hastily removed himself from striking distance. Though, given the range of Mjǫlnir, a safe distance was probably in another realm.

_Thor's father, Thor's mother, Thor's brother, his friends, his people, some unnamed Captain of the Guard and now Thor himself._

Time to get this show on the road. Tony had pissed off enough gods this week.

"But I thought you said Odin had stopped his powers? What happened after he went missing?" Natasha asked as Tony finished his report. When no answer was forth coming, she prompted. "Tony?"

Tony raised his head from the table. "What's the time?" he looked up and glared at the night sky through the windows of the Helicarrier. "I tell you, this is worse than jet lag. This is… this is… realm lag. And that's worse. Way worse."

If he never travelled between universes again it would be too soon. He had landed heavily on the Helicarrer's platform and had almost been run over by an incoming jet. Fortunately, Steve had been on deck and had dragged him to safety. _Just great. Now I have to thank the spangled git._ Bruce had run up and taken over, bringing him down to the medical centre and injecting him with enough drugs to knock out an elephant. Or, in this case, to stop his chest from exploding through a heart attack or high blood pressure. Or both.

Odin had warned Tony it would happen but it didn't make Tony feel any better about it. But this is the way it was; Tony would not be getting daytrips to Asgard without running the risk of death. If he ever went there again, it would be because he was bound to Loki… for all eternity. Not a comforting thought.

After a few hours of rest, Fury had been pretty demanding that Tony report on what had happened in Asgard. Tony grumbled petulantly. His day wasn't looking as though it was going to improve anytime soon.

And there was only one thing… one _someone_ he could think about.

"Tony, try to focus."

"On?"

Fury was leaning against the railings, his arms folded and not looking like the happiest one-eyed man in the world. He had taken the news that one of the biggest threats to mankind was on the loose again pretty hard. You could always tell because he became very, very wry. "Don't leave us all on a cliff-hanger, Stark," he said coldly.

"Cliff-hangers are good for you," Tony said idly, looking miserably into his empty cup. Coffee. He didn't need to _drink_ drink; he was already dizzy, nauseous and seeing weird colours. But coffee was as mead to the gods... _fuck_. He'd spent too much time around the Shakespeare-speakers.

"Tony," Natasha promoted wearily.

"What do you want from me?" he complained, "He disappeared, we looked, he gone. Bye-bye. Simple as."

"How?"

"Yeah, what everyone seemed to forget is that Loki had a year to plan his stunt. He knows his father, his brother and his people; knew exactly how they'd react. And don't let anyone fob you off about his injuries, he sure seemed pretty active to me."

"That doesn't explain it."

Tony attempted to recount Thor's explanation of why Odin's magical bonds had been as effective as the last time (read: no fucking use whatsoever). But Tony didn't understand what he was saying any more than anyone else understood what he was saying. Needless to say, it had a lot to do with his Jotun heritage that meant Odin's powers over him were not as complete as they would be had he been Asgardian.

"The problem with magic is: it's magic," he concluded. "'How did you do that, Mr Loki?', 'Well my boy, its magic'. On the other hand, science! In science it's, 'now how does that work'? And it's 'Well, a magnetic field is produced by the flow of an electric current. That electric current flowing in a wire creates a magnetic field, creating an electro-magnet.' Hey presto."

"What does that mean?" Steve asked.

"My arc reactor." Tony clarified. He waited for light to dawn, then gave up and shook his head. "It's magic, dear. Don't worry about it."

"You seem okay about this," Steve commented.

"Well, it was a real class act. I mean, evil bastard or not, he's got brains. And he's got style. And this time; this time no one can say it was my fault." He drained the coffee and tried to shake the last of the fatigue from his limbs. "I'm blowing this joint. I've got someone expecting me."

"Jarvis?" Steve asked, too innocently not to be a jibe.

"And the Capsicle makes a funny."

"Tony's got a girlfriend," Bruce muttered in a low, very quiet sing song voice. Tony smiled at the man as though he were a puppy who had learned a new trick.

"Before we go our merry ways," Fury said blandly. "There's one more thing. We've been getting reports that someone's been creating uranium in large quantities. At the moment, we've got nothing to go on but an abandoned factory in Thessaloniki and this." Fury pulled up an image on the glass screen for the Avengers to look at.

Bruce tipped his head sideways. "Looks like some sort of mould. I've never seen uranium in a module like that." It looked like it would produce a triangle. Bruce glanced at Tony.

Tony shrugged. "Don't look at me. I used uranium when I was young but grew out of it."

"Palladium now your idea of a good time?" Fury asked with a poker face.

"Hey hey! The one-eyed guy made a funny," Tony said drily. "Good grief, Bruce, Steve and Fury in one day. Do I hear the sounds of an approaching apocalypse?"

"Given Loki's on the loose," Bruce said with a small laugh, "I wouldn't discount it."

Fury returned the subject to the uranium with a teacher-like weariness. "Hill is going to talk you through the ins and outs. There doesn't seem to be anything that we can do right now, but it needs to be flagged. The amounts of uranium we're talking about there could be enough for several bombs and we can't afford to ignore this."

Tony stood; he wasn't staying for a fucking briefing. "Be on the lookout for dirty bombs. Got it. Send me the details in the mail if you must. If you'll excuse me kiddies, I'm gone."

Tony raced to get back home in a SHIELD provided transport, not trusting his exhausted body to fly right now. His hope was to shower and get a few hours' sleep before Loki arrived. He could hardly wait. He was pleased (and disappointed) that the god wasn't there when he arrived and he did manage to pull six whole hours of sleep before Jarvis finally awoke him.

"Sir, your guest has arrived."

Tony pulled himself together reaching out for a robe and tugged it on, still a little groggily. Stepping out into the living room, he was greeted with the last image he had seen in Asgard, though minus the horns and staff. Loki looked too well, too together to be real.

He narrowed his eyes sceptically. "Is this you, or a clone?"

"Does it matter, boy?"

"I want you," Tony said petulantly.

"I am still too weak. Even more so after fleeing Asgard."

"What realm are you in? I'll come to you."

"No," Loki said quickly. He moved towards him, walking cockily, sultrily, making Tony want him so much more. "Have you had time to consider my little suggestion? Are you ready to feel my domination twice fold?" Loki's lips brushed Tony's ear delicately. "Be a good boy, and maybe it'll be three."

Tony shuddered. Oh that was just too much, too weird, too… too much of an amazing opportunity to turn down. He was always looking to broaden his horizons, after all.

"I want you," Tony repeated. "I want it to be you and me, and your shadow."

Loki eyes looked up towards the heavens, pondering. "Hum… no. It will be you and my shadows, while I watch from a chair."

_Oh that was just too hot for words._ Tony shuddered as his body responded in all the right ways. Was it possible for Loki to make him cum with just his words? Tony hoped that one day he'd find out.

"Then tell me where you are and I'll do whatever you want."

Loki hesitated. Tony saw it and grew undeniably angry. "You don't trust me." he said levelly, bile rising in his throat.

"Now I trust you, in this tower. And when you arrived here and are dragged to my bed, I'd trust you. But between there and here, you may remember you're an Avenger. In your suit. How would I know what would come to me? My boy, or the Iron Man with his army? And if you did not bring your friends to rain destruction upon my hideout at a time I cannot defend myself? If you did not, you would have to sit through every conference, every plan of war against me with the knowledge that you knew of my location. No. It would be too much for you."

Tony walked away from the clone. "Then leave. Get out of here! Go on! Fuck off."

"I will return when I am recover-"

"No, here's a suggestion, don't come back. Fuck off and never come back!" Tony shouted.

Loki stared at Tony, closed his eyes and evaporated into thin air.

Tony's face fell from anger to shock and pain. He had expected an argument. He had expected Loki's antagonism. On some level, he was craving _punishment_ from the man, just to tie Tony back down to earth. In the recent weeks he had felt horribly untethered without Loki's ever present domination.

Tony had _wanted_ domination and didn't want to beg for it, he had wanted to be forced. But Loki had just left.

_Oh fuck._


	20. Chapter 20: Acknowledging

**A/N: Warning for Dark!Loki**

Sixteen nights now Loki hadn't appeared and Tony was tired of feeling like the lovesick teenager waiting by the phone. It felt like he had got Loki back in Asgard, only to lose him again. And there was a dark, pressing insistence that one, if not both times, was his fault.

_He's making you think like this! Who gives a fuck?_

_He's gone, finally! And you can get back to your life!_

Tony leant against the bar, finishing off a bottle, glaring at nothing. Hating everything. He didn't need Fury or Natasha or fucking Bruce to tell him that he had been getting out of hand of late. Tony knew it. He could feel it. But they all had to stick their oar in, telling him that he had been getting worse. That old poison that hadn't been there for the last couple of months was suddenly back and boiling in his veins with a vengeance. It was making him sick.

He had been getting increasingly angry, increasingly anxious, increasingly... Stark. He had been drinking more than he had done in months, driving faster, pissing more and more people off. After a particularly out of control Stark Industries shareholder meeting, the brazen and arrogant playboy had come very close to getting expelled from the building. Jimmy or Johnni, whatever his name was, was pulling his hair out over Tony's behaviour.

And now the latest plans for the arc reactor were in chaos. His legacy was in jeopardy and why? Because he wasn't getting fucked by a Nordic god?

_There's something really wrong here._

He slumped down to the floor, bringing his bottle with him. It was empty, but it was more a comfort than anything else.

How much had he drunk in sixteen nights? How many parties had he been to? There had been one brief, fumbled make out session with Miss Maryland… or was it Miss Dakota? North or South, Tony didn't give a shit. He was fairly certain he had passed out before anything had happened; probably because, for the first time in two decades he had taken ecstasy that night and everything had gone whirly.

Tony had done plenty of drugs when he was younger. What genius billionaire playboy didn't? Admittedly not much – like everything, the buzzy thrill had gotten boring after a while. But in that brief time he had learnt to hide it which was good. SHIELD would not react well if they found out.

The final blow to his pride had come when he realised the gossip columns weren't covering his descent with their usual hysteria. Oh yeah, it was all in there, minus the drugs thankfully, but they seemed to be of the opinion it was Tony Stark being Tony Stark – his previous three months of good behaviour and the whole 'saving the world', apparently earning him reprieve.

Tony shuddered, running his fingers over his face.

_Let's look at this honestly, Anthony. There's two ways of looking at this. Firstly, you've suddenly become the kid who, after leaving home for the first time, goes on a year of hedonistic enjoyment now finally out of the control of a parent. Loki's turned his back so you've gone and lost it._

Tony threw the bottle against the wall and it smashed with a satisfying sound.

_Or… you've spent the last sixteen days doing anything you can think of to infuriate him enough to come back and…_

Even in the depths of his darkest moods, Tony wasn't so blind as to recognise his behaviour was as out of control as it was last year when he thought he was dying.

Why?

_All the fun's gone. The excitement's gone. There's nothing to do but be good and that's just too dull._

It was time to do something. Anything. The risk of glorious climax or horrible death at the hands of a psycho god was an itch he couldn't get out from under his skin. He walked out into the night and onto the platform. He teetered on the brink. All his life, risks were what defined him. Tony let himself drop off the edge.

The air around him ripped his clothes, whipped his hair back. The street below him was racing up to greet him. He waited as long as he could before calling, "Jarvis, deploy."

The Mark VII suit was getting quicker now at unfolding itself around his body, cocooning him in metal and electronics. It meant that it had barely been a risk at all and he was already rocketing into the sky before the thrill had even formed.

_Still bored. _

_So now what?_

Fury stormed into the conference room to where Tony was nursing a glass of whiskey and pulling childish faces at an angry Steve. He glared with his one good eye at the playboy billionaire. "I thought we were over this, Stark," Fury said in a livid voice. "I thought this stupid ass lone wolf shit was behind us."

"I don't remember signing anything to that effect."

Natasha was by Fury's side now, glaring at him with a stern expression. The rest of the Avengers were out and about, living their lives. It was just these three, Natasha, Fury and Steve who seemed to have no real lives of their own.

Natasha shook her head. "It was a very stupid thing to do, Tony and you know it."

Fury continued, "Your fucking rash stunt-"

"I got the key back didn't I?"

Yes, he did. And there it was, the long silver sword sitting on the table glittering. But Tony hadn't been looking for the damn key. He had been looking for Loki and he hadn't been there.

"Yes you did and at the cost of burning down a military facility in Russia!"

"They were all the prima donna's mercenaries," Tony shrugged.

"That's not the point," Steve and Natasha said together.

"North Korea, China, Russia," Fury listed with an angry shake of the head. "Can't you see Loki's playing us? Three superpowers are now furious. This is what Loki wants-"

"I don't give a fuck what he wants - we wanted the key back! Now we've got it. How is this not the end of the conversation?"

"Did you even have a plan?" Steve demanded.

"Yeah: 'Get the key back. Get drunk'. I'm on step two," Tony smiled bitterly, waving the glass. "You and your fucking plans, you fucking boy scout."

Fury seemed through with him, though no less incensed. On his way out he snapped at Bruce who, to Tony's surprise, had edged his way into the room while Fury was yelling. "You talk to him. For some reason he at least listens to you."

The room emptied, Natasha throwing a brief, sceptical look at Tony before accosting Fury.

Bruce looked up through his fringe. "Hi."

"So, the gangs all here. Except Thor who's probably still chasing his tail looking for Loki and Barton who's probably... you know what, I have no idea? Probably nesting somewhere. I thought you at least would be out having fun."

"I saw on the news that a factory had been destroyed by the Iron Man and Vladimir Putin was calling it an 'actionable declaration of open hostile activity by the Americans'. So I thought I'd better come in." Bruce walked up and sat on a chair opposite him. "Did something happen? You've been so happy recently. Is it Pepper?"

"No. Not Pepper."

"So you've had a fight with this new one?"

Tony didn't answer. He didn't have to.

"Is it over?"

"Probably." Tony said, and grimaced at the crack in his voice. "Because it always is."

"What happened?"

"She walked out."

"Why?"

Tony shrugged. But Bruce apparently wasn't taking no for an answer today. The playboy sighed and said, "She wants to get married, apparently."

"And you don't?"

"Fuck it, Bruce, I don't know what I want."

Bruce laughed vaguely. "Hey, you want to talk about barriers to relationships?"

"Nah, guy like you? Who could resist." Tony said with a toothy smile.

"And the Other Guy?"

"It would be like Russian roulette. Only more fun. And green."

Bruce looked away, speaking, as was his way, to Tony's shoulder rather than making eye contact. "Did you care? About her?"

Tony didn't answer.

"Tony, realistically, how many people are we ever going to find who would love us enough to stay despite-"

"You don't understand."

"Then let me in. I can understand."

"Not this." Tony shook his head violently.

_Not this_. Bruce wouldn't understand. How could he when Tony couldn't understand? And Bruce was his friend. And Tony Stark didn't have many friends – real friends. He pushed them all away. Though Bruce had done a thoroughly good job pushing back, Tony didn't want to test it. To risk a friendship which, on a certain level, was more important to him than Loki's domination.

"Anything you told me would stay just with me."

"Not this."

Natasha walked back in. She stood, folding her arms coldly and glared at Tony. "Fight with the girlfriend?"

"You were listening?"

"No. It's obvious. As is the fact you've been dating for a couple of months very quietly. Which is surprising for you; so it's a different pattern of behaviour which I imagine is from her influence. You're behaviour has changed, presumably to please her. She must be a very strong personality or you must be very unwilling to lose her. Either way, it's also obvious that you haven't been together for the last twenty or so days."

Tony and Bruce stared. Tony cleared his throat, alarmed, "And how-"

"You've received nine speeding tickets in the last sixteen days. You've drunk enough for several frat parties – I read the tabloids, Tony. It's not hard to keep a track of what you're doing, it's not like I need to follow you all the time. You'd stopped all this; you were beginning to _grow up_, finally. But since you got back from Asgard it's all started up again. So you've broken up with a girl. That's no reason to descend back into being a complete ass."

Tony closed his mouth. "Stay the fuck out of my life."

_Timeout._ Tony supposed that's what this was really. Fury had clipped his wings to stop anything more from happening. He had been forbidden from going out joy riding in the suit for the next few months. An order he had naturally disobeyed the next day, but he had only popped out in his suit to grab a Starbucks… okay, from England. So now there were SHIELD agents watching the tower. Tony hadn't allowed them in and threatened to release Jarvis and his entire arsenal if they dared.

But his sharp shock at his own behaviour, flying off half-drunk to Russia and making an idiot out of himself at the parties had at least shifted his method of rebelling. There were two tried and tested forms of Stark Sulking. First, the out of control 'this is not happening, I am entirely enjoying my life'.

The second was this. Tony hadn't left the lab for the last six days. Hours and hours spent wallowing in his workshop allowed him to forget. Sleeping at his desk, barely drinking or eating. Burying himself in solving the problems he knew had answers. Science, where there were yes and no answers. Where everything was fixable.

Bruce, god love him, had dropped in as frequently as he could to check up on him like an over concerned nanny. Tony had barely exchanged words with him on these visits. But they had at least gone over Tony's ideas for the new transport. Bruce was a great sounding board for this and even if he didn't understand the particular area of science Tony was elaborating, he knew enough to say if it sounded possible. Every genius needed a level headed thinking to say when they were reaching for the stars, or when they were simply lost in space.

The lab. This was where Tony belonged and between them, Loki and the Avengers were trying to pull him out of his world. _His world_. Like when you saw those exotic animals, so proud, so beautiful, so out of place in a park zoo.

Keep working, and forget the fact that it's been twenty-three nights. That was the longest Tony had spent without Loki since that first night of violent domination. Tony sighed blissfully at the remembrance. He couldn't even bring himself to relieve his aching need. It felt like a betrayal.

Tony rubbed his face. He had to sleep now, but where? In the bed was just too painful, too many memories. On the couch, equally so. Tony rolled his eyes, doing his best to pull himself together as _the_ _boy_ inside of him whined.

_Just do what you've done every night. Find a bottle and fall asleep where ever you pass out._

"Jarvis, I'm turning in. Don't wake me in the morning. In fact, don't wake me ever."

As Tony stood to amble over to the camper bed, shoved over in a corner of the room, the lights turned off.

Tony looked up, raising an eyebrow. "Quick on the draw tonight, are we? Lights."

There was no answer. "Jarvis, lights. Anytime."

Tony swore under his breath. He knew his lab like the back of his hand and made his way slowly to the door from memory. The door was locked, the key pad unresponsive. Wonderful. Jarvis had gone into an emergency mode which made absolutely no sense, unless the AI was getting hacked. Again.

"This is like a bad horror fic," Tony called out to the darkness in general. "The last thing I'm going to do now is call out 'hello?' in a quavering vo-"

A blow came out of the darkness and connected with his face. It felt like a fist. There was a ridiculous amount of power behind it and his head slammed back against the glass door. He heard a crack and he hoped it was the glass and not his head.

He fell to the floor blinking dazedly. He tasted blood in his mouth; he must have bitten his tongue. He looked up, but still couldn't see anything in the black.

"Loki," Tony croaked.

Relief flooded his heart, but fear was growing too. This didn't feel right at all. This was going to be painful and maybe fatal this time, Loki felt angry. _Very._

Tony reached out a hand in the black. "Loki, please," he lulled gently.

He was pulled up by his collar. His legs scrambled to stand as he was pulled up against a warm chest. "No," Loki hissed in his ear. "No words."

Tony was thrown forward and he ploughed into a table. It winded him. Ribs protested. He stood and turned quickly to where he hoped Loki was.

"I'd like it put on record that, last time we spoke, I don't think you took my comments in the manner they were intend-" Tony began and gained another punch for his troubles.

"No words," Loki repeated. "Strip."

"Hey, man, whatever you want," Tony said soothingly, wrenching off his clothes quickly.

The light of the reactor spun out into the darkness with its delicate hazy blue. Now Tony could just see Loki's form in front of him. The light glittered in the livid eyes.

Tony swallowed. _Yeah, I'm so fucked._ "I just want-"

Something hit his face and fell to the floor. "Put it on."

Tony knelt, nude and to his shame, trembling slightly. Evil Loki was easier to deal with… well; firstly it was easier to deal with evil Loki when he was drunk. He was alarmingly sober right now. And easier to deal with when Tony was happier to see the back of him. It was easier to take the pain when Tony wanted the god to leave.

Now Tony was desperate for him to stay but afraid of what was going to happen.

So long as whatever Loki did to Tony tonight stayed on the right side of Tony's wild desire, he didn't feel he'd have the strength to argue. It would get bad and probably bloody. While Tony believed Loki wouldn't actually kill him, Tony knew he wouldn't stop the god in anything he wanted to do.

_After what you've been doing the last month, you fucking have it coming._

He groped around until he found a strap in the darkness. As his fingers felt it... "Oh. Then can I just say-"

"No."

"I am... I might have been wrong to kick you out. Not completely wrong… but not absolutely right." Tony thought that was the best he could do at this point. "I'm… _I am_ glad you're here, Loki." He pulled on the gag and tightened it with ashamedly shaking hands.

"Over the table."

Well, he could have guessed that was going to happen.

Tony lay over the cold metal table and readied his arms to be restrained. He all but put his wrists into Loki's demanding hands. When Tony's wrists and ankles were finally attached to the four legs of the heavy, bolted work bench the lights came on - not fully, but enough for Tony to finally see Loki.

The god was tall and powerful, standing in his gold amour, minus horns, glaring at Tony with such venom. _He's beautiful when he's angry._ The god was already elegantly smoothing his long pale fingers through a flogger. It had a flexible leather handle with long leather thongs hanging down.

Tony closed his eyes momentarily, taking a breath.

"This is going to be a little rougher than your previous punishments. But I think we can both agree, you deserve it."

_Yes._

_No! Fuck no! Who's he to say what I can and can't do?_

Tony objected vehemently through his gag, but it was more for his own benefit. Loki wasn't listening. He stalked around his little mortal until he was directly behind Tony, but off to the left side slightly. He brought down the flogger hard; swinging down from over his left shoulder. Tony screamed. Already. How was he going to cope with his?

The first blow stung and burned. Tony, eyes wide, sucked in a breath hard, his back trying to bend in, away from the pain. The second created agony beyond anything he had ever felt. The third equally so, but he now felt cuts begin to open on his back. It was stinging and burning and flooding pain and adrenaline into his mind. Everything around him became bright and sharp and threatening. He lost count around seven.

The harsh restraint of the metal cuffs (when in recent times Loki had moved him on to leather which Tony had found far more comfortable), his already exhausted state, the smell and sensation of blood in his mouth all threw him back to their first time. Perhaps it was the retrospect rather than the truth, but in Tony's mind now, their first fuck stood out as glorious and passionate, though he was sure it probably hadn't been so at the time.

Despite the pain, there was that familiar stirring in his groin as he pictured his dark god taking him from behind in his desperate state. Tony groaned around the gag.

"Quiet, boy."

_Boy._

Tony fought to obey. The beating stopped suddenly. "Let us talk about why you are being punished. Because if you don't know why, you won't learn. First, your language. As always." Tony felt a smack hard against this ass but it wasn't the flog. It was a crop. That meant pain, again, but not the overwhelming sort that the flog had produced.

It meant Tony was supposed to be paying attention.

"Second, your manner in addressing me when last we spoke was unacceptable."

Slap!

"Third, your behaviour of recent weeks in public has been unacceptable. You've drunk to excess-"

Slap!

"Endangering your life, which, make no mistake about this, is mine it do with as I please. You've made a fool out of yourself in front of the Midgardian people."

Slap!

"You've acted like a spoilt child who throws a tantrum when he does not get what he wants. This does not reflect well upon your god and that is why you are being punished."

Slap!

Tony's mind reeled between humiliation and ire. How the fucker dared to tell him, talk to him like a child and say what he did was _unacceptable to his god_? Who did the mother fucker think he was!?

Pepper glared and stamped her foot when Tony went off the rails. Or she just walked away as she had during the Vanko incident. _Is it wrong that I'm so happy, yes, happy that Loki cares to such a degree he'll make me change my ways?_

It was too metaphysical a conundrum to solve right now. Tony waited, hanging off the table, waiting for Loki to do something, anything. Loki was probing through his workshop - Tony could hear him tipping things over and throwing things off benches in his search.

_Just ask me and I'll tell you. No matter what it is, Loki, please just ask me and it's yours._

Loki moved into his field of view. Tony looked up pleadingly, but was wholly ignored. Then Loki seemed to find what he was looking for. He reached down and pulled up one of Tony's bottles.

Tony's eyes widened. If he was going to pour that on him with the number of open wounds he had right now, that was going to hurt... Very badly.

Tony whimpered pathetically.

Loki opened the bottle and pulled from his belt a long, thin knife. He drenched the blade and put the bottle on the table. He moved back behind Tony.

Only then it struck Tony like a brick. _Sterilised_.

Tony bucked and thrashed against this cuffs. He expected rebuke. He expected further restraint. What came was worse. Loki did nothing. It scared Tony. Loki was absolutely serious. As he fought harder, the cuffs dug into his skin and created whole new wounds.

Eventually he gave in, not really knowing or caring how long he had struggled for, his body going limp and he let himself sob without control. He hadn't cried like this in a long time. It wasn't _the done thing _for a Stark and his father would have scolded him for it. Now Tony just let it happen. It was... releasing.

Loki placed one hand on his upper back and ran the blade down, just caressing the skin on his lower back, below the level of his hips. Then… One cut.

Tony yelped, but it wasn't as painful as he was expecting. It must be some Asgardian metal; it created sharp and clean cuts. Another short cut. Then another. After every cut Loki would pause to watch the blood well up and run down Tony's body. The whole process became hypnotic for both, pulling them into the same world, their own private universe of pain and pleasure, where nothing existed but each other.

Tony tried to keep count. Ten? Twelve? It was useless to guess. Eventually Loki pulled back and breathed out, "My boy..." It was a statement, not a question.

He opened his heavy eyes and saw his blood dripping onto the floor. Not a lot of it, but enough to create small puddles. He felt a little faint.

His head was pulled up by this hair, his gag removed and Loki's shaft was fed unceremoniously into his mouth. Tony choked and retched slightly, the angle was bad and was hitting his gag reflexes painfully.

"You're not meant to enjoy this, boy," Loki said softly. "Just hold still."

But Loki was wrong, because Tony was enjoying it. It was so... bad as to be good. If you understand. Tony gurgled delightedly as the taste of Loki set his senses alight. Loki came very quickly, clearly in as much desperate need as Tony after their long separation.

Tony groaned with joy as a stream sprayed into his mouth. Tony sucked hard, trying to keep him in his mouth even as Loki pulled out. He swallowed it all quickly, licking his lips like a cat. He looked up, begging in his eyes. Loki knew, he had to know what Tony was asking but didn't care. He turned from the room and left.

Tony hung there for a while, there wasn't much else he could so. Relief lifted him as he spotted Loki return. With a flip of his stomach, he saw a bowl and a towel.

Loki moved behind him. "I will wash you and attend to you wounds. These," Loki ran a finger across Tony's back. Tony whined in pain. "Will heal very soon. But this," he stroked the sensitive skin around the cuts "will scar."

Tony didn't care. It wasn't as though his body was littered with scars already. But scar into what? Loki could have written KICK ME back there for all he knew. It was hardly in an area you saw every day. It was purely meant for Loki and anyone else who saw Tony naked. It was a stamp of ownership.

Loki had written himself into Tony's soul (not that he believed in souls) and now had marked it on his body.

"Permanently?" Tony croaked out groggily.

"If it fades, I will redo it."

"Promise?"

"Yes, now hush." Loki was running a soft towel in gentle circles across his back. There must have been an antiseptic in there because it stung.

"Hurts." Tony muttered.

"I know. Try to relax."

Strapped over a table, beaten, bleeding, and his cock pulsing hard for climax, swinging and bobbing in the air with a mystery message scrawled into his back. Relaxed is not a word he'd use right now.

"Would be easier... Tattoo," Tony slurred out.

"You would be amenable to such a marking?"

Tony thought for a long time while the towel moped up the blood. "Yes..." He said.

"Then it is something we will discuss further in the future."

The towel was replaced by fingers rubbing a salve into his back. It cooled his tortured skin beautifully and started closing cuts at a terrific rate.

"Thank you..." Tony breathed in ecstasy.

"Calm yourself boy. We are not finished."

_Too fucking right_. Tony was going to die horribly if Loki didn't take mercy on his painful erection soon.

Loki was already hard again from caring for his boy in such a vulnerable state. He knelt momentarily under Tony's ass and Tony's body almost leapt off the table as lips caught his scrotum in a wet, sucking heat. Tony gasped and panted his yeses and pleases as Loki's mouth worked him. All too soon, they were released. Tony whimpered miserably.

"I can make you sing again, boy. Would you like that?" Loki didn't wait for an answer before the mouth was back, focusing on his balls, leaving his erection to twitch and bob madly. Tony did sing, gasping and groaning and begging, his head arching back, his hips doing everything they could to grind back.

Then a hand came down on his ass, slapping him hard as Loki stood.

Tony shuddered with silent sobs. Loki must have used something on himself because when he thrust into Tony, he slid in warm wet and slippery. But the lubricant had been coated on Loki himself and the lack of any preparation on Tony meant the first thrust had been too tight and too painful…

Exactly like that time before Loki had been lost to the portal and Thanos. That last time he had been submissive and chained and controlled and not prepared enough to be taken and it was like a switch was turned on in Tony's head. Like the memory had been hidden in the code of Tony's mind ready to be activated with the right input.

"Yes, yes, I remember! I remember! I'm own-I'm owned by a god!" Tony whimpered violently, unthinkingly.

_I'm being conditioned. How had I not realised this before? He's actually fucking training me!_

"That's right boy." Loki breathed, patting his head approvingly. Loki pulled completely out, and thrust in to the hilt again.

This time, Tony screamed in a different way. "Oh yes!"

"Remain quiet and accept it."

Tony would have done anything to gain his climax so he pushed his exclamations back into his throat but allowed himself the low yowl which was impossible to stop anyway. The thrusting was intense and Loki, after he seemed happy he had stretched the boy out enough, tipped his hips to hit that magic spot over and over again.

Tony's eyes rolled in his head, his tongue lolling out of his mouth as he grunted with every stroke against his prostate. He could not remember a time that he had given himself over to such open arousal. His body bucked and ground and squirmed as much as it could under the bondage. He knew he was probably drooling, it just felt too divine.

Loki stopped momentarily and Tony lay still. He had surrendered all bodily control to Loki and just waited, shuddering, for the god to continue. When he did, he reached down and slowly stroked Tony, a slick hand gliding up and down firmly, bringing them both over the edge.

Tony didn't pass out this time, but it was a very close run thing. He forced himself to stay awake because of the overwhelming fear that when he opened his eyes, Loki would be gone.

He needn't have worried. Loki slid down to the ground and lay on the cold floor, breathing hard. Tony would have liked to believe that it was he that had reduced the god to this fatigued state, but he knew better.

"You're... not recovered," he mumbled once his tongue would obey his command.

"In time. My torture at the hands of Thanos was... thorough."

"But you're here."

"You needed correcting. You behaviour was becoming intolerable." Loki closed his eyes and licked his lips. Tony watched the lovely sight. "And I needed you. There has been much pain. I needed comforting."

The cuffs fell from his wrists and Tony felt Loki pull him down on top of his chest. Tony squirmed and shifted until his face was pressed into Loki's neck.

"Intolerable is a long word." Tony meant _strong_, intolerable was a strong word, but his head was so fuzzy.

"You needed discipline. I read of your behaviour in the Midgardian news outlets. You have been a very bad boy."

"Hum... Yes..." He breathed, pushing his face closer. He almost wanted to crawl into Loki.

"And you have been punished."

"Yess," Tony breathed. He paused, suddenly keen to make this point clear. "I enjoy it, you know."

Loki was very still beneath him. By now, Tony would have expected arms to rise and hold him. He was curiously disappointed by their absence. "You would have to be very, _very_ bad for me to want to punish without pleasuring."

"I tried to find you."

"I know. It was amusing. I do hope SHIELD were appreciative upon receiving the Sword."

"No, actually," Tony grumbled petulantly.

"Never mind, love. It will work in your favour in the long run, you'll see. Now I am recovered enough to beat you, you'll show them that you can be a good boy again."

"You're such a patronising little git."

"Yes, my love."

Despite the gentle words of love he was spinning, Loki felt... wrong. Tense.

Tony leaned up to gaze into brilliant green eyes. "You're still mad with me."

"Are you willing to bind yourself to me?"

Tony was silent.

"Then I am still angry."

The boy sighed sadly and lay his head back down on the smooth white chest. Finally, Loki's arms rose and held him in a tight embrace.

"I spent a week in that place and I was very close to tearing my hair out. There's nothing to do. There's no... We're talking about a guys running around drinking mead and waving battle-axes."

"I know."

"I don't know how you coped."

"I did not."

"My world is the arc reactor, the suit... It's science. Not magic. You don't even have a fucking dial up in Asgard, I'd go absolutely mental."

"I'd keep you occupied."

"You couldn't keep me _occupied_ all the time."

"Not I, perhaps. But while I play the courtier in the halls of the All Father, while I walk the lands of Midgard, while I commit to my life as the god of chaos, you will be in my bed, safe and being continually taken by my clones without a moments mercy. After the binding, your stamina will increase, as will your recovery time. Accept this fate; I will not have it any other way."

Tony's eyes widened slightly as he considered it. "You're going to kill me."

"Perhaps I will, but you will thank me for it."

"No, I couldn't. Be there, I mean. I'm still Tony Stark. I'd just get bored and destroy what we have just to have something to do." Loki's grip on Tony was getting tighter. "Ease up, the ribs are sore."

"The future cannot be predicted but you are mine, boy. Let us begin with you acknowledging the fact." Loki's fingers ran delicately over the healing cuts in his back. "I want a more permanent mark over you than a scar."

Tony grunted noncommittally.

"And it must be soon. I can't risk it anymore."

"Risk what?"

"If I am captured by Thanos again, or the Asgardians, or even your SHEILD it could be disaster. By the time I escaped, I could have lost you."

Tony could have told Loki that he wasn't going anywhere. Tony could have pointed out that he wasn't planning on dying anytime soon. But it was hollow sentiment. For Loki, fifty years (if Tony was really, really lucky and stayed off the alcohol) was nothing to an immortal.

"Are you recovered?"

"Hum?" Tony asked, just beginning to fall asleep on Loki's chest. He suddenly found himself being rolled on the cold lab floor and pulled onto his hunches. "Loki, I-"

"I did not say I was done with you, boy."


	21. Chapter 21: Strong

Tony woke up a few hours later in bed, feeling horribly sore and yet better than he had in weeks. He had woken up smiling. When was the last time that had happened?

_You know what? I don't think it ever has…_

Light was pouring in through the windows. How could he have spent a night like that with a god – no, a demon from hell, and wake up feeling so wonderful? He reached out and found a cold bed. _Like when Pepper left._

His eyes flew open. "Loki, you still here?" he called out, keeping his tone as level as he could.

The god wasn't in the room, but at Tony's call he walked in. "As you see."

Tony gulped the nausea down and raised a cheeky smile. "Good, help me up. I can't move and it's your fault." He pulled himself into a sitting position and Loki was there to haul him up into his feet.

Tony swayed against him, holding the arms of the man who was as steady as a rock. "Success! I'm on my feet."

"I am happy for you, Tony."

"Now I've got to remember how to walk."

"These little things are sent to try us."

"I think you're mocking me."

"I can't deny a sense of pleasure that it is I that has caused such beautiful distress."

"Fucking sadist," Tony growled in good humour as he weakly hobbled to the bathroom.

Loki leaned against the frame of the door to the bathroom, watching his little boy avariciously as Tony did his best to wash up in the shower. The salve Loki had used on his back had healed the flog marks over night, but he could already feel the scars of the engraving pronounced on his skin.

"Are you hungry, darling boy?"

"You cook?" Tony asked incredulously. The answering look Loki gave him was enough to bring out that blissful smile Tony had felt beginning since he woke.

Tony gestured back towards the kitchen. "There's pizza left in the fridge. Breakfast of kings."

Loki muttered something in what had to be Asgardian as he left the bathroom.

"I heard that!" Tony called over the sound of the water. He muttered to himself, "I don't know what I heard, but I heard it."

Once Loki was out, he took the opportunity to close the door and drop the towel. He didn't want Loki to think he was at all interested. Tony worked hard to show Loki that the playboy in him could take him or leave him. Maybe the god saw through the lie, but it was one worth preserving. But this…

Tony took a breath and turned so he could see his back in mirror.

'My boy' was carved into his lower back in curling, swooping lettering. So elegant, so Loki, so... perfect.

Sitting at the bar, with Loki opposite was a bizarrely homely scene. It worried Tony. The god rarely stuck around like this in the mornings. Generally, on the rare times he woke to find the god still in the bed, there was a morning fuck and Loki would be gone.

Tony looked up over his cold pizza. "Are you ever going to tell me how you keep managing to fuck with my AI?"

"There is more than one genius in this world."

_Okay. Now I'm jealous._ Which he was fairly certain was Loki's intention. "Yeah, but none are as rich and handsome and as clever as I am. And they don't have the suit. So which one is helping you?"

"One who thoroughly approves of you getting 'fucked over'."

"Loki," Tony said with a wry smile. "You said a bad word."

"I was paraphrasing your rival."

Jealously panged hard. "Rival?"

"Industrial rival." Loki clarified with a delicate smile.

Tony glared. It was a challenge and Tony's mind worked furiously. He finally landed on a name which seemed to fit. It really did fit as well; it explained Loki's remarkable resources of late and his private army of black clad mercenaries.

"Jarvis, could we please check up on our Justin Hammer please?"

"He is still a guest of the Adirondack Correctional Facility, Sir."

"Medium security." Loki added helpfully. "And a few guards who are open to bribery."

"Yeah, Hammer isn't a genius," Tony said with venom. "Hammer is a business guy with a big head. And a fucking, sad little prick. If they work, which they do, then he's _selling_ you the programs, not _creating_ them. I create them. If he were creating them, they wouldn't work. He can't build a toaster!"

_Why am I so desperate to impress him?_

"Such details are unimportant to me."

"Well it should be important." Tony snapped.

"Shh, my boy. Do not feel so threatened."

"I do not feel threatened."

"I do not practice my games upon him. They are for you alone."

"Oh well whoopity-doo."

Loki opened his mouth to reply.

"Sir, Pepper Potts is requesting to reach this floor," Jarvis said.

Tony stood in alarm, the stool he was sitting on falling to the floor with a metal clang. Pepper was supposed to be in Hawaii! What the fuck was she doing here? "I er, I-"

"Let her up."

"'Cuse me?" Tony asked incredulously, his voice going unnaturally high.

"Let her up," Loki repeated. Loki stood and walked into the bedroom and shut the door.

"Are you crazy? My bad, are you crazier than usual?!" He shouted at the door, but got no answer. Tony ran his fingers though his hair, trying to calm down and think. "This is a really stupid idea."

But this is Pepper. If he didn't let her up she'd know… Tony sighed. She always knew

"Tell her it's not a good-" Tony stopped. SHIELD agents would still be watching the tower. Pepper not being allowed in was going to raise a hell of a lot of alarm bells. "Fuck," Tony muttered bitterly. "Sure, Jarvis, why not. Let her up."

He turned back to the door and shouted, "You'd better be warping away in there!" Tony was more alarmed by the lack of an answer than he should have been.

He barely had enough time to gather his thoughts before the elevator doors opened. Pepper walked in. It almost like she'd never left.

Tony was suddenly struck how much he'd missed her. Not just the sex, either. Just her. "Hey."

"Hi, Tony."

There was a pause. Tony cast his mind around for something to say. "I… have pizza. It's cold."

"At ten thirty in the morning? You haven't changed."

"I'm not known for it." There was a long pause. "How was Hawaii?"

"It's amazing. I'm going straight back, actually. I was just in town to get the last of my stuff."

"Making the move permanent then?"

"Yes." Pepper was looking at him seriously. "You seem… good. You seem happy."

"I assure you I'm weeping inside. This new guy, Jimmy-"

"James Conway."

"He prefers Jimmy – can't hold a light to you. Seriously. I wish you'd reconsider, Stark Industries needs you."

"Well, first of all, it doesn't. Have you looked at this quarter's projections? Stark Industries is doing better than it has done in years and it's all because of the arc reactor. Because of you and your mind. What Stark Industries needs a happy Tony. Second, he doesn't prefer Jimmy any more than George Langham liked 'Georgie'. Third, I can't come back. I've made a new life for myself."

Tony smiled softly. "My, aren't we growing? Getting all serious and everything."

"You've found someone?" Pepper said.

_I could never hide anything from her._

"Yeah."

"What's she like?"

"She's…" Tony really didn't think he could spin this particular one. "Look, I don't-"

"Tony, where are the gla- Oh, I'm sorry."

Tony turned and his mouth fell open. There was a tall, beautiful woman wearing one of his dress shirts standing in the doorway of his bedroom. That wasn't new, necessarily, but _what the ever loving hell was going on?_

Shoulder length black hair, sharp green eyes, so gorgeous. Tony felt himself responding and it wasn't to the curves. It was because, on some base, instinctual level, his body was far more in tune with the man who caused it pain and pleasure than his brain was.

He felt that rising excitement and the already slight stiffing he always got when Loki walked into the room.

_You have got to be kidding me._

"Hi, I'm Pepper Potts," Pepper said, reaching out a hand.

"Lockley," the woman said.

Tony felt like he was watching a car wreck and couldn't look away. _You have got to be fucking kidding me!_

"You're English?" Pepper asked.

"Oxfordshire."

"How long have you and Tony-"

"Oh, we met during the alien invasion. Tony saved my life. We met so briefly, but I felt like I had to come back and know him, even if only a little. To thank him. My life was so… dull before him." The woman paused with a smile. "It took off pretty quickly after that."

Pepper turned to Tony. "That's so romantic," she said, so honestly. It made Tony squirm inside that his truthful Pepper being lied to.

"Wha-" Tony was still playing catch up.

"How long have you two been seeing each other?"

"How-"

"A few months now," Lockley – no Loki said. _What the hell is he playing at!?_

"I'm surprised you haven't been in the papers yet, they're generally so hot on who Tony-"

"Oh, I absolutely abhor that sort of thing," the raven haired woman said with a shudder. "Tony and I keep our meetings here in private, away from all that stuff."

"Dating the Iron Man isn't exactly easy," Pepper said sympathetically.

"But worth it," Lockley said. "So incredibly worth it."

"Honey bunch," Tony said in a strained voice, "can I grab you for a moment?" He practically dragged her- _him!_ outside onto the platform as far away from Pepper as they could go. "What the hell are you doing?"

"I assumed you didn't want her walking in to find your ass being owned by Nordic god who had attempted to lay the world to ruin! I'm doing you a favour!" The voice was still a woman's, but Tony could hear Loki there, angry and commanding. "Unless you would have me appear as simply another man and have _that_ particular discussion with her. Your fumbling assertions of your heterosexuality then a strained confession this one _just does it for you_. Your once assistant can now leave happy and never have to know that only last night you were kneeling on the floor with the cock of a god dominating you until you begged for mercy like a child in prayer!"

Tony was going to snap back, matching the venom, before he pulled himself up sharply. Loki was right. This was better. This was a lie, yes, but a good lie. A lie that left everyone happy. Better for everyone.

"You're… not wrong," Tony muttered, rolling his eyes. "Fine. Yes. Well. Thank you. You fucking jerk."

"I don't appreciate your tone, boy. We will be addressing it when she leaves."

"Alright. Fine. Whatever."

"Now be a good boy and let's finish this."

"Fine."

"Stop saying fine."

"Fine."

The next half an hour Tony watched in fascinated horror as the two 'women' talked, apparently favourably. It was one of those _female talks_ where the man is expected to be there, maybe offer drinks, but otherwise to sit back and not contribute unless called on. _Yes dears_ and _no dears_ offered on request.

"Oh my god, I completely believe that!" Lockley said with a laugh. "Even now! He's always such a- he's a genius, obviously. But he acts like such a child sometimes."

"Tell me about it," Pepper said with a roll of her eyes. "You do not want to know the sort of things I had to put up with. And the things I've walked in on."

"No, you have to tell me!" Lockley pressed.

"Believe me, you don't want to know."

"We'll have to talk about it later, won't we Tony?"

Tony blinked, still staring in complete bafflement. "Er… yes."

_Women._

Except, no, not _women_ at all, was it? _Thor had never bothered to mention this._

"I read in the papers recently that Tony's been a bit…" Pepper didn't seem to want to finish.

Lockley looked away slightly. "Yeah. Bit of a rough patch. But we're through it now. Aren't we, Tony?"

Tony's brown met the brilliant green eyes. They at least were identical. "Yes, we are." he said, honestly and quietly.

Soon, Lockley made her excuses and left for the bedroom, shutting the door behind her… him. Whatever. Pepper sighed slightly and stood, pulling on her jacket. "She seems lovely."

"Really?"

"I think she'll be good for you."

"Do you?"

"She'll take you in hand."

"Boy doesn't she just." Tony said with a tilt of the head, draining his glass (orange juice. He hadn't dared tried anything stronger after Lockl-_Loki's_ eyes had flashed at him.). The whole morning was beyond him.

Pepper looked at him half reprovingly, half kindly. Then she said quickly, "Oh, god, I'm sorry – I never actually got her first name."

"Oh." Tony's mind reached out for anything, though surprisingly it seemed to settle quite quickly, though in years to come he would wonder why the hell it was the first name to come to him. "Martha."

_Seriously? That's what you can up with? Sounds like a matron._

"But everyone just calls her Lockley, really."

"Martha Lockley. I'm so glad, Tony. She's strong woman. Anyone who can put up with you has to be. She's clever - brilliant, because you could never be with someone dumb. She'll be able to understand your projects enough to talk with you but not enough to threaten you. You're an arrogant bastard but you love your audiences. She's funny - you need the banter. She's beautiful. She's sophisticated. She's strong, and you need someone strong because you're so... someone to look after you because you're a handful. I… just couldn't do it anymore. I loved you but I wasn't right for you. Not anymore. Not enough. Tony Stark, self-centred billionaire I could handle. I could look after. But the Iron Man? Who would spend his life having people come after him, trying to kill him? Who flew into a void with a nuclear rocket? Who could have died? That's when I realised that you weren't just Tony Stark, not anymore. Tony Stark, billionaire playboy, wouldn't have done that. I couldn't look after a guy who… I couldn't be the person you needed."

"But you think Lok-Lockley is?" _Well done, Tony. You were that close._

"I think she loves you. And I think you love her. There's an… energy around you two. And the way she kept looking over at you. She definitely loves you, Tony."

"We fight a lot."

"It's good for you not to believe you're always going to get your own way."

"I never get my own way with her."

Pepper chuckled with a nod. "Good. Your way isn't exactly the right way."

"You were strong." Tony didn't finish the thought that was hanging in mid-air, but Pepper knew what he was saying. Pepper always knew what he was trying to say.

"She knows who you are; better than I did when I first fell in love with you. She's ready for this. I wasn't." Pepper looked away and back again, almost as if she were trying to make up her mind. "I've… met someone."

"Congratulations," Tony said, expecting to feel a crushing misery. He didn't. He could honestly feel glad for Pepper and he was proud of himself. _Look at me, I'm growing up._

Pepper pulled out her phone and Tony moved to her side to see the photo she pulled up. "He's an astronomer. Tony, you have to come to Hawaii and see the night sky. It's beautiful."

"Giant centipedes," Tony reminded her. He looked at the man in the photo with Pepper. They did look incredibly happy. "He's a little lacking in the-" Tony gestured.

Pepper rolled her eyes. "He shaves his head. He's a surfer too."

"A surfing astronomer. Nice. Hang on, let me look at that," Tony took the phone and looked at it carefully. "Hey, those are some pretty big feet. You lucky girl!"

Pepper snatched the phone off Tony and he was pleased to see a rising pink in her cheeks. "You are such a child sometimes, Tony," Pepper scolded, hiding a smile.

_Child. Boy._

"Lockley says that too. I rather think she likes it."

"As I said, she's stronger than I am," Pepper said.

"No one is stronger than you are, Pepper. I don't think I ever told you that seriously before."

She looked at him and smiled gratefully. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. Now get out of here so I can have sex."

Pepper rolled her eyes again and walked to the elevator. "Give her my number if she asks. I'd love us to keep in touch so I can check up on you from time to time."

"Never going to happen, but thanks for the thought."

"She's a keeper, Tony."

"Maybe."

"No maybes. You need her. Don't ruin this."

Tony held his ground for some time after Pepper left. "Jarvis?"

"She's just left the building, sir."

"Okay…"

Tony moved cautiously to the door of the bedroom, not entirely sure what he was going to find. When he pushed it open, Loki was lying on top of the bed, half-heartedly flicking through a book. It wasn't a book Tony recognised as owning and he figured the man must have conjured it.

"Martha?" Loki asked with a rising smile.

Tony frankly couldn't believe it either. "Seriously – it was just the first name that popped into my head. There was a rather nice Martha at school, I seem remember. Great legs. Though a bit of an overbite-"

"You know what it means?"

"It means that I probably shouldn't be picking out any baby names."

"It means mistress, Anthony."

Tony paused. "Mistress. As in-"

"As in get on your knees and submit to the." Loki finished with his wicked smile.

Tony rolled his eyes. "Well I don't think it means _that_."

The god shook his head with a fond air. "There's a little bit of magic everywhere."

"What?"

"I have faith in magic, Tony. It shapes our world and likes to have a laugh at our expense as much as anyone."

Tony raised his eyebrows. "You think _magic_ made me say Martha?"

"I think that the first female name you could think of when picturing me was synonymous with power and control."

Tony rolled his eyes. Magic was something he and Loki were never going to see eye to eye on. Tony just didn't believe. Okay, so Loki had conjured chains and transformed his clothes, but there was a rational explanation for it. Perhaps Loki was possessed of the ability to rearrange atoms into different shapes. Something logical and empirical, not _abracadabra_. And magic certainly didn't make names occur to people or interfere in their lives. Especially Tony's life.

_Speaking of which._

"You turn into a woman?" Tony asked. _Who needs tact, really?_

"I can turn into many things, Tony."

"Yeah… but a woman. And a pretty hot one at that."

Loki's eyes flashed dangerously as the book snapped shut. "And tell me, boy, did you prefer that form?" He shimmered and was suddenly blue.

Tony stared, wide eyed. He had never seen Loki properly like this. Loki had always taken him from behind in this form, or blindfolded him. He looked far more solid like this, like a marble blue statue, intricate patterns raised in his skin and blood red eyes. He was... he was so handsome. Stoic and sad, but as solid as ice. Tony wanted to touch him desperately.

"And this?" Loki said bitterly. "Do you prefer this?"

Tony crept onto the bed, moving like a cat towards Loki until he was sitting in his lap. Even through their clothes, Tony's body temperature plummeted. When he spoke, a haze of condensation flew from his mouth.

"In order, that would be no and yes. No, I prefer Loki, Asgardian prince to the woman because the woman's not you."

"Neither is this."

"Yes, it is." Tony crooned, shifting his hips provocatively. He could feel the chill in his legs and sighed gloriously. "Fucking hell, Loki what's wrong with you? What did they do to you in Asgard? Thor is a great oaf who believes the last thing he hears and whose claim to fame is throwing a _really heavy_ hammer. Look at you. _Look at you._ Look at what you can do, what you are, what you can become. So sophisticated, so intelligent, so devious. Just like me. What the fuck are you so jealous of?"

There was a long pause. Loki was suddenly forcing him down, climbing on top of him, driving his tongue past Tony's teeth and quite simply - if Tony was a 1800s heroine - Loki would be quite simply ravaging him. Tony found he liked the word. _Ravaging. That is exactly was that this felt like._

There was a slight tussle as Tony put up an entirely staged struggle. But Loki's strength was over powering and Tony gave up and whimpered deliciously into his mouth. He felt Loki's lips pulling back in a smile. Loki let go of Tony's tongue and now fixed wet, icy lips on his neck. Tony gasped at the freezing cold, watching his breath evaporate into the air as the god started rubbing his body against Tony in hard thrusts.

Tony didn't want it to stop and held on for as long as possible but it wouldn't be long enough. In the shower, the burning hot had equalised his body temperature somewhat. On the other occasions when Loki had used this form, it had been for fucking and only the solid dick had entered Tony. And never for long.

But now Tony was surrounded by cold, embraced by cold, dying in cold. His vision was going fuzzy and his limbs where beginning to hurt. He opened his mouth to say something, but shut it quickly as Loki's hand slipped into his trousers_. Oh fuck yes!_ The cold hand stroking a begging cock would, for most people, have been torture. Tony, for reasons beyond him, seemed to have been designed for Loki and designed to be the partner of an ice giant.

_And if we had never met, this would have been one bizarre kink I never would have found out about._

Tony bit his tongue, desperate not to let Loki stop. The hand was bringing him so close and he bucked up into the grip. Tony was panting, but it wasn't right. His chest was painful and he felt his heart pounding far more intensely than he should have. Tony held on until he began to feel to feel sick with it.

He raised his hand to stroke Loki's beautiful long black hair and saw his fingers were turning white. That wasn't a good sign, really. Stupid biology.

"Loki, I think I'm calling timeout here," he breathed, teeth chattering, his whole body shaking violently.

Loki pulled away and looked down on his little boy. Tony saw… pain. And regret. And agitated concern in those intense red eyes. "Tony, I… did not stop to think."

Loki was back in his Asgardian form and carrying him to the bathroom. He stripped Tony down, Tony still shuddering uncontrollably and pulled him into the shower. The hot water bathed them both and Loki held him tight in his arms until Tony's body temperature was back to normal. It took a long, long time under the hot spray and Tony lay, half unconscious in the god's arms as he listened to whispered words of love. Words of blatant lust and…

"I'm… I'm so sorry Tony."

"Isn't your fault. Didn't want it to end."

"I did not stop to think. You could have died. I should not be so blasé with my toys."

Tony looked up at him in irritation, but decided a hot shower with a naked Loki was worth letting that one go. They spent a little time kissing each other lazily. It wasn't a fight, or a ravaging. They simply held each other and let their tongues explore every inch of each other's mouths.

As the months wound on, each was learning more about what excited the other, though, in Tony's case, he felt as though Loki had known from day one.

Loki's lips moved back to Tony's neck. It seemed to be a favourite spot for him. Tony wasn't going to argue. Between passionate kisses, Loki's hands cupping his ass, holding him close, Loki whispered, "After þjá ey, you will be tied to me in more ways than just your life."

Tony stayed silent.

A mischievous finger pushed inside of Tony, making him grind his hips up against his god.

"Your body will adapt to please me."

Tony remembered this little promise from the last time Loki had tried to persuade him into it. "Yeah. Staying power and recovery time. I know."

"And better able to handle the cold." Loki breathed.

Tony's heart leapt. _We could fuck with him in his ice form and not have to be in a shower._

Tony's eyes closed and mouth opened as a second finger pushed in. He swayed his hips back and forth, willingly impaling himself on the fingers. Hot water was running down his face and Loki's sucking on his neck was driving him crazy with need.

What was it about the shower? It wasn't just the water. It was also the space. Tony had a large modern, marble shower, but it was still an enclosed area. Smaller than the bedroom. There was less chance of escaping Loki's passion when the four walls were within reaching point. It was Loki and Tony's private space.

The downside was of course, that now whenever Tony came in here, Loki around or not, he was immediately hard. Life was full of trials.

Eventually, Tony sighed, pulling back and let himself fall to his knees. "Lazy Saturdays," he breathed joyfully as he stoked Loki's shaft playfully. He brushed his tongue heavy against Loki's balls and his hand picked up the pace and then encompassed his mouth around them wetly.

"Mouth on me, boy."

Tony let go of the balls and looked up, affecting a sulk. "I was."

"Don't play with me, boy."

"I thought that's exactly what I was doing," Tony smiled, giving a slightly firmer tug on Loki.

"Do you want to get punished?"

"Maybe."

"Then I will deliver. For now, suck me off, boy." There was that _tone_ again.

Tony decided that was enough back talk to get what he wanted, so he conceded now with no more argument. When he dared look up as his head bobbed back and forth, he was elated to see Loki smiling in exasperation, rolling his eyes at the ceiling.

Tony pulled away briefly. "May I…?"

"Only when I do," Loki said.

That was fine by Tony. He resumed enthusiastically, his left hand on Loki's hip, his right reaching down to stroke his own cock. This was always the most exciting way to do it. Tony would have to match his work on Loki on himself, trying to get them both to the right moment at the right time. When Loki allowed him to cum during the blowjobs he gave, he didn't take kindly to Tony coming first, or taking too long afterwards.

The man was such a fastidious bastard, everything had to be just so.

_Prima donna._

The added pressure of it also made this more exciting. Tony was panting; rocking his own hips in time with his bobbing head and his moans and gasps around Loki's cock was pleasurable to both of them.

"How long do you think you can hold this for, boy?"

_Oh come on, please._ Tony thought in a whine. _Why does everything have to be a challenge?_

_Because I enjoy the challenge. Because if Loki was an easy lover to please he would be boring._

Tony whimpered around Loki's cock and felt a pat on his head. "You'll do your best, boy. But I can never expect much from a Midgardian, I am aware."

_Son of a bitch._

Tony resumed his task with gusto, taking a dark pleasure from the annoyance he felt, the annoyance Loki caused.

_Son of a bitch._

"Don't cheat, boy. Keep playing with yourself."

_Damn._

The problem was, of course, that Tony was too close to string this on for much longer. And if Loki insisted that he continued masturbating to the blowjob, Tony's resolve to show the bastard what _this_ Midgardian could do was going to shatter very quickly.

Tony went for as long as he could, but it wasn't too long until he was deep throating his god, encouraging him to cum as soon as possible because Tony knew he didn't have much longer. Loki gasped, grabbing Tony's hair tight and holding him still as a hot stream poured down his throat.

Tony's hand went wild against his bucking cock and he came seconds after swallowing Loki's offering. He sat back against his knees, weak but smiling happily as Loki washed himself off.

"Ass out the shower, boy. It's time for your punishment."

Loki had left a few hours later, leaving Tony worn through, in an uncomfortable amount of pain and smiling that stupid smile that seemed to be permanent after Loki had _played_.

Tony wandered down to the lab, threw himself into a chair and regretted it immediately. He hissed a bad word, trying to readjust his back as Jarvis said, "Perhaps, sir, we should look into some softer furnishing if your activities are going to continue to be as strenuous."

The genius paused. "Jarvis… you're not disapproving of all this, are you?" Tony felt a bizarre moment where he was actually concerned about what his _computer_ thought of his sex life.

"I monitor your vital signs through every encounter, sir. Loki has never while in Stark Tower, since that first night I should point out, put your life in danger."

"And that's okay then?"

"Sir, you designed me to focus on catering to your needs. Ensuring you live and ensuring you can pursue what you desire, I have no other concerns."

"Thanks Jarvis."

"Of course, sir."

_Well, that was weird and awkward_.

Tony picked up a bright yellow stress ball and threw it in the air. "Let's open a new project. Strictly off the books. I don't want anyone finding out."

"Yes sir. What would you like to name it?"

"Thanos."

"We're going after a Mad Titan now, sir?"

"Search the internet, every library and every catalogue of old worldly things. I want every reference, no matter how small or vague and I want you to start putting it up around the lab. I want this room filled with information."

"Yes sir."

Tony turned to his screen as wire images and text started slowly springing up around the lab. "I want all the readings we've ever got of the Chiturai and the portals up here. I'm going to work on that first."

**A/N: I have my reservations about this chapter as I have never been a fan of the Fem!Loki category. I just had to deal with the Pepper problem somehow and this seemed the neatest way short of killing her which just seemed mean. **

**But I know Fem!Loki has a following, so this is my nod to that. And if anyone is curious, female Loki, in my head at least, seems to be Jaime Murray. Just a thought. In this story Lockley will mostly be used as Loki's 'public face' as it's about time the boys started getting out a bit more. So if Fem!Loki slash is your preferred fanfic, apologies as it's not happening here!**


	22. Chapter 22: Doom

Tony walked into the Helicarrier meeting room and noticed that the minute he did, the discussion stopped. All eyes turned on him. Before he had left Stark Tower, he had heard a haranguing speech from Loki about how to _play the game_. Or that's how Tony had chosen to interpret it. Loki manipulated people around him like a sexy Iago and was now trying to install a little bit of that into his wayward boy.

_Encourage them to be on your side again, and you can manipulate the outcome._

While Tony was having none of it, he could at least see that _maybe_… just maybe, some humble pie was called for.

He held his hands up. "Okay, can I just say, right off the bat, my behaviour the last month _might just_ have been a little… uncalled for?"

"Try reckless, idiotic and out of control," Steve said.

"We'll go with 'ill advised'. So, yeah. Went through a bit of a rough time, all okay now, let's not make a big deal out of it. I got you the key and never got thanks, by the way."

"Made up with the girlfriend then?" Barton asked.

"She came begging back, naturally," Tony coughed.

"Sure," Natasha said disbelievingly.

Tony was about to deflect when Fury walked in with Lieutenant Hill. "No more bullshit from now on, Stark," Fury said. "We don't need any more reason for people to hate us more than they usually do."

Tony threw himself into a chair. "I got the key back from Loki single handedly. I want a prize, not a ticking off."

"Believe it or not, we've got bigger problems than your accolades." Fury turned and nodded at a faceless solider who started footage running on the big screens.

The footage playing looked like scenes from a science fiction movie, but they were real. Tony was immediately alert, staring enraptured at the screen.

"Robots?" Steve said.

"Jesus. I think I'm in love," Tony muttered. "Is that a uranium core? What are they made of? It looks like titanium. Have we got any I can look at? Bruce, what do you think; positronic brain or network intelligence?"

"If we could pull back on the nerd talk," Barton said. "That looks like Mexico."

"At 0800 today, an army of these marched through Villahermosa in Mexico and virtually levelled it." Fury glared at Tony. "It was a city with people in it, Stark. This is not a science project."

"What?" Tony said absently, still staring at the scene.

He pretended at indifference, but as so often was the case, Tony felt and felt intensely, but didn't let on that he had cared. Villahermosa had almost 700,000 inhabitants and was located very close to Cancun. That's right, never let it be said that Tony didn't know everything.

"We know who's behind it. He goes by the name Doctor Von Doom-"

"Victor von Doom?"

Everyone turned to stare at Tony. "You know him?" Steve asked.

"Sort of. He's..." he looked around with a shrug. "Pretty smart."

"Smarter than you?"

"Don't be ridiculous. We've crossed paths once or twice. He and I were always interested in similar fields."

"Your arc reactor?" Thor asked.

Tony shook his head but didn't answer. Natasha, ever helpful supplied, "I'm assuming this was back in the Merchant of Death days?"

Fury pulled up another image. It showed a black metal suit with an intimating mask. This one wasn't a robot. It was a man, Von Doom presumably, in a black metal suit with a flowing hooded cape and, to Tony's rage, a mask.

Tony pointed at the screen angrily. "Son of a bitch stole my look!"

"No one cares, Tony."

"I care! Asshole!"

Fury indicated the robots. "Do you think you can stop these?"

Tony took a few moments staring at the footage. "I'd need to get my hands on one. See how it ticks. Though, I think we've solved our uranium mystery." Tony paused the image. The black metal robots all had a triangle of glowing green on their backs. "Power source."

"We are going to stop these things. A handful burned their way through a city in hours. We're not going to let it happen again."

Hours later, back in Stark Tower, Tony was hunched over the footage watching it again and again. There were also various readings and every scrap of information that Tony could pull from his various satellites. It wasn't much information.

Hands appeared at his shoulders, rubbing, soothing. The magical fingers managed to dig their way into every knot and loosen them with little effort. His whole body shuddered in a wave and relaxed muscle by muscle.

Tony sighed and leant back in the chair as his body became loose and warm. He gazed up and saw Loki was watching the footage of the robots with intelligent, gazing eyes. It was a look Tony had begun to recognise in his god. The look which meant that Loki wasn't just seeing, but judging and filing away information, no matter how small, for future use.

Okay, so Tony did that too. But he did it with empirical knowledge and science. Like… at his arc reactor lab, he would walk through, listening as his Chief of Operations talked on and on about the state of play (though more often about his kids) and Tony would glance at a reading, note the particular buzzing of the arc, hear a snatch of unhappy conversation and would be able to calculate from such little evidence exactly when they were heading for a shut down. Instinct was just knowing something so well and having such good experience that you can predict what's going to happen before it does.

And so Loki… Loki did that with people. He was able to read situations, emotions, tones of voices, glances… Cold reading, they called it. Though Loki brought a thousand years of experience into play so cold reading became in him an epitome and an art form. And it all began with that look in his beautiful green eyes…

Tony shook his head slightly. _Snap out of it. He's just a homicidal psychopath like any other homicidal psychopath. There's no need to start writing fucking poetry about it._

"What do you know about this?"

Loki said with a vague shrug, "Doctor Von Doom. Rather an eccentric individual."

"You've met him?"

"As have you."

Tony turned in his chair, glaring hard at Loki. The god smiled. "He offered an alliance."

"And you said?"

"I did not accept. I did not refuse. It does not gain me anything to make an enemy of him, though I see little appeal in lowering myself into an alliance with a mortal."

Tony raised an eyebrow. Loki gave him a tiresome look. "Entirely different, my boy."

"Ah-ha." Tony turned back to his screen. "What about your other squeeze?" he asked irritably.

"Justin Hammer? He is not involved with Doctor von Doom. I would not allow it."

"Oh and he listens to you?"

"Yes."

Tony sometimes forgot who he was dealing with. He spent so much time trying to resolve the fact that he was the Iron Man and boy. He sometimes forgot that Loki was both his lover and god of chaos, a criminal on the run and, let's not forget, Thor's brother.

Tony grimaced. _Lover_ didn't sound right coming from him. Loki was the one given to the poetry. But more and more Tony felt the way he thought about things beginning to become influenced by Loki's elegant pose.

_You've got to get out of this now before there's nothing left of Tony Stark._

"Now, shall we go to bed?"

Tony rubbed his face, his eyes hot and bleary. "I should finish this."

"Finish what? You have no information. All you are doing is staring at these images. It is not good for you and besides, you will be able to think better away from the screen's glare."

"And I've already worked out plenty. Genius, remember? Plenty smarter than Victor and a thousand times smarter than fucking Hammer."

"It is time to adjourn, boy."

_In retrospect, I really should have picked up the change in tone._

"When I'm fucking finished," Tony snapped, not thinking.

With Pepper, that had generally led to a long argument, or Pepper walking away in defeat. In the early years of Pepper, it had generally led to her declaring that she quit four or maybe five times a day.

His current partner took things a little more seriously.

Tony was hauled unceremoniously out of his seat with disturbing strength and thrown against a wall. He fell to the floor and didn't manage to find his feet before a hand grabbed his arm and pulled him along the ground to the lift.

"Fucking shit, Loki! What the-"

"Do not speak. You are already in enough trouble without your continued unthinking use of foul language."

Once inside the elevator, he was thrown face down on the floor. Before he could react, Loki stood over him and grabbed one of his arms. It was pulled up behind him, held up in a powerful grip as a heavy foot planted itself on his upper back, between his shoulder blades.

_If he's got even a similar strength to Thor's, he could rip my arm clean off like this._

Tony wasn't in a position to struggle. He tried anyway, and yelped as his arm was almost pulled from its socket.

"You're done for the night, boy. Now behave. Your punishment will be easier to bear if you obey like a good little slut."

"Get your fucking foot off my back!"

"No."

"The jacket is Armani!" he hissed in fury, but stayed still as the lift climbed.

Despite the aching pain in his arm, he could feel Loki slowly stroking the small bones in his wrists with a thumb. It was a bizarrely tender.

Tony worked on calming his breathing. No matter what was going to happen when they reached the top floor, having a clear head was going to be the trick.

When they reached the floor, Loki picked Tony up by the neck and threw him into the room. Tony stumbled but landed on his feet. He straightened his clothes angrily as Loki swept past him and sat on the couch.

"Stand." Loki pointed almost imperiously in front of him, between the couch and the window.

"Why not just say 'heel'?" Tony snapped angrily.

"If that will encourage you to move your pretty ass faster, then by all means. Heel, boy."

Tony bit back a curse and moved to stand in front of Loki.

The god stared at him with narrow eyes. "Why must you cause such problems for yourself?"

_Because I like it when you get mad. I like knowing that no matter what I do, you won't give up and you won't walk out._

"Fuck you."

"You will be punished."

"Well stop the presses," Tony said wryly.

"Strip."

Tony felt angry and tired. He had spent hours looking over that footage getting absolutely nowhere with it and now Loki pops up and wants to play. When would it ever matter to Loki what _Tony_ wanted to do with his day?

_I wanted to get drunk and fall asleep over a table in the lab like I used to._

Okay. So that in itself was rather sad. Tony never used to think it was sad but he did now. At least after Loki was done with his games, they slept in the same bed and more and more Tony was waking up in the man's arms. It was new and nice. Warm and safe.

And the first fumbled fuck in the mornings, Loki holding Tony so tight he couldn't move as he pounded him brutally, like the time in Asgard, or holding him down and jerking him to roughly climax, were rapidly becoming some of the best moments of his life.

It was at a point now that, on the occasions that Loki would be there until morning, he wouldn't let Tony leave the bed in the morning unless the boy was wearing that soppy smile of the post-orgasmic and fully satisfied man.

_Fuck him for making me so weak._

"Strip now boy. And don't you dare make me tell you a third time."

Tony wrenched off his jacket and threw it on the floor.

"Slowly!" Loki snapped irritably. "Have you no decorum?"

Tony bit back a violent retort. _And decorum is a stupid word._ He took a second, closing his hazel eyes and taking a deep breath, before raising his hands again. He slipped his t-shirt up his flat stomach, over his six-pack, slowly revealing the blue arc reactor, and off over his head. He let it slip down his muscular arms and onto the floor.

His sun-kissed skin was already tingling in expectation. He caught Loki's eyes and saw the twisted delight and lust there. It was too much for Tony at this stage. He chose a point over the man's right shoulder and didn't meet his eyes again. He didn't want to get sucked into Loki's world.

A world where Tony stood, centre stage as Loki pulled everything inside of him out for the audience to gape at.

_Fuck him for breaking me down and building me up every time he looks at me._

He bent down slowly and pulled off his shoes and socks. Then his hands moved to the belt, unbuckling it and pulling it delicately out of each ring.

"Wait. Bring that to me... good boy. Back you go. Carry on."

Tony unbuttoned the top fastening on his jeans, and then slowly pulled down the fly. Slipping the trousers off his narrow hips, they too fell to the floor and he was naked.

Tony forced himself not to glance around. He was very aware there was window behind him. Pepper and he hadn't been stupid when designing the tower. All these windows were one way, like a police interrogation cell. They could look out but people couldn't look in, even with a telescope or zoom lens. Still, Tony could imagine the eyes of thousands of people behind him and the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end.

He glanced at Loki. The vague uneasiness was exactly what the god wanted.

Loki raised his finger and made a circular motion. Tony's hands clenched as his eyes narrowed. Loki's eyes widened in warning. Tony turned slowly on the spot, stopping with a scowl when he faced Loki.

"Again."

Tony turned again. It was puerile and degrading. It was taking every second of control not to run away. _Or fucking smash his stupid pale face._

"Again."

"Do you think anything would have changed?" Tony barked.

Loki's eyes narrowed. "Again," he said quietly and dangerously.

Tony turned on the spot, in the privacy of his own mind coming up with swearing he hadn't previously entertained.

_I hate him so much._

"Remain there for a moment."

Tony was staring out the window, breathing hard against the embarrassment and arousal. It was like he was drowning in this fantasy Loki was designing. He knew what the god was looking at. He could feel the scar in his back almost growing hotter. Tony almost felt he could feel the letters in his back.

"So beautiful," Loki crooned. "All mine, aren't you Tony?"

Tony didn't answer. At the command, he turned back to face the god of mischief.

_Fuck him to hell._

"Over my knees."

"I beg your pardon?" Tony scoffed.

"You will beg. But for now, over my knees, boy. You must be punished for your disobedience."

"Never going to happen."

Tony expected a fight. An argument. An attack and blood and pain. It was the only way Loki was ever going to make him. Because whatever Tony might want and, if Loki was right (which he wasn't) whatever Tony might _need_, he wasn't prepared to give in.

But Loki just sat there. Tony was naked; standing defiantly and now would be the time to leave. To walk away into the bedroom and lock the door.

He exhaled hard, like he had been holding his breath. He shook his head. "I won't."

Loki said nothing.

"Are you fucking listening to me? I said I fucking won't!"

Loki cocked his head on one side and remained silent.

Tony realised his whole body was shaking, he was panicking. "Get the fuck out of here. I'm not playing this game anymore!"

_Panicking about what? Why? How was this happening?_

"I'm not-" he stopped. "You can't-" He was swaying, rocking on his feet. He didn't want to stay but he couldn't leave. "Fuck you. I hate you. I don't know why I ever let myself get sucked into this shit."

Loki was as still as a statue. Sitting on the sofa now like an old idol to a long forgotten god. But this old god was in his apartment, in his life and worryingly, in his mind. Loki gazed passively with harsh green eyes, just staring at Tony.

"Stop this. Just fucking stop this!"

Tony shuddered more violently now. "Loki. P-Please stop."

Tony closed his eyes and felt his feet taking him forward. Tony's mind was rebelling violently but his groin was beginning to stir in a way he knew too well. His stomach was doing flip-flops. He felt sick and so, so desperate for Loki's touch.

When he was in front of Loki, Loki held up the belt. Tony realised immediately what the god wanted with an insight born of Loki's… _training_ and turned. Behind him, Loki tied his wrists together with the expensive leather belt. Tony growled gently as Loki patted his arm approvingly.

"Over my knee."

Tony shook his head furiously. "You can't do this."

"I am doing nothing boy, but giving you my command. You yourself choose to follow it."

"You'd make me if I refused."

"Not today."

"I don't fucking believe you!"

"Walk away, I won't stop you."

Tony rocked on his feet, his eyes fixed on the floor.

_Leave! Just leave! This is it; this is the perfect chance to show he doesn't own you! This is the opportunity you've been waiting for! Get out of here! Show him what you think of his games!_

Tony turned back and, refusing to look at Loki, glowering straight ahead, laid his stomach and hips into Loki's lap, his head on the sofa, his legs dangling down. He felt like he couldn't breathe, he was dizzy and shaking.

_Why are you doing this?_

_Because it feels so wrong it's right._

_Because I want it as much as I need it._

_Fuck._

"Take a moment to relax, Tony. It's not as bad as all that."

There was a hand in his hair, stroking, smoothing, petting. Tony closed his eyes and focused on calming down again. Before he really felt ready, though in truth he didn't know if he'd ever be ready, the first smack came down hard.

_Shit!_

Tony yelled and screamed and cursed for the first twenty strikes. Loki, grasping the belt that bound his hands together tight, held him down and hit him with his other hand. The strength was incredible. Tony might as well have been a child compared to Loki's power.

By twenty, he was whining, yelping, groaning in pain, trying to pull away from the smacks. By thirty he was sobbing angrily, trying to squirm away from every blow. By fifty, he was finally still, his gaze out of focus, breathing heavily with the odd whimper.

Why was this worse than the belt and other beatings he had got? Because of the position? Yes. Because it was humiliating, degrading? Definitely. All control taken from him, all Tony had to do was accept and that was… freeing. His mind was wandering in a black void as he did nothing but feel.

Was it possible to call this meditative? He had never seen it in any self-help book for de-stressing.

_Sixty-eight. Sixty-nine. Seventy._

Tony's body shuddered as the blows gained a new strength now. But the increased pain was coupled with pauses as Loki would stop between smacks to stroke his ass and thighs lovingly. He could feel Loki's cock pressing against his stomach and his own pressing against Loki's thigh. Every other hit seemed to cause Tony's cock to twitch and harden even more.

He began to realise through the haze of pain and lust that his hips were undulating now, rising to meet the smacks and wriggling into the caresses. Tony wasn't making any conscious decision to move, it was happening on its own.

"Good?" Loki asked.

Tony nodded dreamily. He only just recognised that Loki had untied his hands a long time ago. They were just resting by his sides now. Tony was _willingly_ lying here.

_Get up! Tell Jarvis to activate the new security systems – there's a reason you've just upgraded the tower! Do fucking something!_

"More?"

Tony nodded. The spanking stopped suddenly. Tony mewled miserably.

"More?"

_What the fuck is wrong with you Tony Stark?_

_Where's the crime in finally getting what I want?_

"Tony, what do you want?"

Tony swallowed. "More. Yes, more. Please."

The slaps resumed but with long pauses where Loki's hand soothed the burning skin.

"Harder?"

"Yes."

This body lurched forward with the force of the blows now. He grunted and yelped, needing every second of it. Needing more. Harder. _Don't stop please don't stop._

But it did and all too soon. Loki pushed Tony off his knees and the mortal rolled onto the floor in a daze.

"Your mouth. Now."

Tony scrabbled to his knees and swallowed the length down to the root without any conscious thought. Loki groaned, leaning against the back of the couch, his legs wide open with one hand with long pale fingers tightly wound into Tony's hair.

When Tony pushed the cock deep into his throat, stoking his tongue along the balls, the grip in his hair would tighten painfully and he heard a deep moan above him. Loki liked variety. Deep and fast. The very tip of the tongue teasing the head. Hard sucking on his balls.

But when Loki was close, Tony abandoned all attempts at variety, pulled the cock into his mouth tight and thrust his head up and down, sucking hard.

"Yesss! Yes, oh, yes Tony. You're glorious!"

Tony's heart leapt at the praise, even if it was said in a fit of lust. He swallowed the hot stream, taking care not to spill any.

Loki was already standing, dragging Tony to the bedroom and throwing him onto the bed. The god quickly found a bottle of KY Jelly and poured a dollop into his hand. Tony's legs were pulled open and Loki took up position between them. His hand encompassed Tony's long length and began stroking immediately, slick and slippery from the lubricant.

"Ah!" Tony whined, his hips bucking up. This was so much better than doing it himself. Loki's hands were large and strong and warm. He seemed to know even better than Tony himself how to hold him, how tight to squeeze, where to put pressure.

Tony grunted as he felt his cock slipping in and out of the fist. His legs were hauled up and around Loki's waist, his sore ass mercifully off the bed, giving him more power to thrust up his hips. Tony's legs gripped the narrow, triangle hips tightly as he came closer and closer to that tipping point.

The green eyes were above him, staring at him intensely. The look of joy and lust in Loki's eyes was terrifying. Tony felt his whole body throbbing as he returned the stare. His mouth was opening, wet lips parting and Loki couldn't resist it seemed. Loki's free hand rose and quickly pushed a finger between those inviting lips.

Tony jumped in surprise, but shuddered again. _So good_. _So perfect._ He sucked the finger in his mouth as Loki began to fuck his mouth with it. A second finger was added. A thumb was rubbing over the sensitive head of his cock. His ass was stinging. Tony couldn't hold it back anymore.

He exploded suddenly, losing control and almost bucking Loki off the bed. He vaguely heard the god's laughs of delight but didn't register them as he lost himself to the perfect bliss.


	23. Chapter 23: In Mind

Tony knocked back another shot and looked around. Where the fuck was he this time? He looked up and spotted the poster. Oh, right. Plugging the arc reactor at a convention of the world's greatest physicists and engineers. The speech had gone well and there was interest. A surprising amount. Though he had been heckled by a few nuclear physicists who just didn't know when to admit defeat.

All the lectures and demos done for the day, the bar was now positively hopping. Physicists, you see, are party people.

"Excuse me, Mr Stark?"

Tony turned. It was the not-Pepper. Molly. Since Tony had retreated to spend more time with the Avengers (and with Loki) the Pepper role had not been so important to fill. But Pepper had recruited Molly as her last act so here the woman was, punctual, efficient, with no sense of humour.

Tony had to wonder if this woman was Pepper's last joke. Apparently, after the whole Natalie, Natasha incident, Tony's judgement in picking PAs was now in question. So Pepper had left him with Miss Molly No-Fun-At-All.

"You know, you look absolutely stunning in that pant suit," Tony said.

"I don't think that's an appropriate comment, Mr Stark."

"I keep telling you to call me Tony, don't I?"

"Yes Mr Stark. Eight times today. There's a young women who wants to talk to you. She says she knows you through a friend. I can only assume that's code for some sexual relation."

"Do you talk like this to your boyfriend?"

"I don't have a boyfriend. Would you like me to send her away?"

Tony leaned around the woman and jumped up. "Oh, Jane."

The woman pushed past Tony's security entourage, throwing them an annoyed look but greeted Tony with a smile. "Hi. We haven't exactly met."

"No. But I've read all your papers," Tony said. "You're pretty bright for a woman." And there he goes. Of course Tony didn't believed a word of it – Natasha and Pepper between them managed to run rings around him – but Tony would say anything to anyone just to see their reaction.

She smiled, her face a little tense. "And you're pretty talented yourself for an inebriated ass."

Tony smiled. "Fantastic," he said, indicating the seat in front of him. "You're lucky, you know. Astrophysicists generally have to come in the back door at real science conventions. If anyone asks, can we just pretend you're a hooker?"

"I wanted to talk to you."

"That's nice. People rarely _want_ to talk to me. Generally I have to make them." He glanced at her sceptically through his Initium "All in" Square Aviators glasses. Up here in a quieter corner of the hotel bar, his body guards keeping the area clear, Tony felt at ease with the alcohol and the setting. The home of Tony Stark, playboy.

Jane Foster was Thor's. Thor was the brother of Loki. Loki was the home of Tony's other self. It seemed no matter what he did, even when the god wasn't here, the universe was unlikely to let him forget for very long.

"I wanted to talk you about Thor."

"You want a drink? Women tend to like the cocktails, what do you want? They've got something here called an Arc Reactor Punch – I think they're sucking up, but it sounds good. See? It's got vodka. Excuse me? Two of those. You want anything else?" he asked Jane.

_She's intelligent, attractive and managed to snare the God of Thunder. She's rapidly becoming a leader in her field, she's lived through an invasion of a giant metal terminator and she's knocked down Thor twice with a car. How long do you really think you'll be able to mess with her for?_

"Thor speaks really highly of you. He admires all the Avengers, but I think, because you attacked him when you first met. Because you don't pull any punches, metaphorically and literally, I think Thor has a soft spot for you," Jane said.

_I'm just fucking irresistible to these Odin brothers, aren't I?_

"Where is our golden boy?"

"He doesn't know I'm here."

Tony raised his eyebrows. "Okay... shall we go back to my place or yours?"

Jane rolled her eyes. "It's not like that."

"Good because I'm the one who'll get a hammer to the face."

"It's about..." Jane sighed. "Look, you know Thor in a way that I don't. Sort of, I don't know - in battle. I just need to know what I'm letting myself in for."

"þjá ey?" Tony was sure he wasn't getting that pronunciation quite right. Close enough.

Jane looked surprised. "He's-"

"No." Tony grimaced. "His mother told me, actually. Can we keep that between ourselves?"

"Alright," Jane said slowly, looking at him with very sharp eyes.

This is a hard girl to put something over on. She's so... collected. Tony smiled suddenly in dark satisfaction. _Well, well, well. Thor's gone and found himself his mother. That is what all the boys are looking for, isn't it?_

"What's the problem?"

"I feel as though there's half of him I don't know."

"And you want me to...?"

"Tell me about Thor."

Tony stared. "Well, he's tall. Muscular. Good looking in a 'would you look at this body' kind of a way. Sorry, I have no idea what you want me to say. If you want analytical, Natasha's the one to ask, she'll give you a whole psychological break down. It'll be bullshit, but it'll sound professional."

_Narcissistic, compulsive, destructive._ No, Tony hadn't forgotten.

Jane looked away for a moment as the cocktails where placed on the low table in front of them. "He... wants me to be immortal. There aren't many people I can talk to about this who would even take me serious. But you see this crazy stuff all the time."

"So you want me to talk you out of it. Okay, well, he's pretty stupid. And you're so intelligent. And he's not _that_ attractive-"

"No I don't want you to talk me out of it."

"Kid," Tony broke off with a sigh, feeling as though this woman had come to him for some strange reason and he was woefully letting her down. "Fine. I think I get it. The Avengers. It's tough and it's dangerous and it's very likely the rest of us will die horribly at some point. No worries there because I can't imagine anything that will kill our Lassie off. At least on this planet. So you're not worried about him dying. You're worried that you're tying the rest of your life to someone in a more permanent way than 'I do'. You won't be able to leave and you won't even be able to stick your head in an oven to escape it. And a lot can happen in a thousand years and who says you'll love him that long. Right?"

Jane looked away again.

"I don't know what you wanted me to say, kid. That's all I got. Now, Thor's a good guy. Thor's a great guy and I don't doubt that he will be loyal and stand by you for as long as you both shall live. But I sure as hell can't tell you if he's going to love you for the rest of eternity."

"But you don't think he'd... walk out?"

"Nah. Not Thor. Whether he loved you or not, he'd never abandon a duty."

"That's just it! I don't want to get into this thing and half way in Thor's just there because he feels he has to be."

"So dump him."

Jane looked shocked at the suggestion. Tony smiled and picked up his blue cocktail. "And there's your answer. This isn't bad actually, try it."

"Why was Thor's mother talking to you about the binding?"

_Fucking intelligent people. _And Tony should know._ Don't know when to leave something alone._

"I was talking to her. About Thor's immortal-ness and how it would probably put a downer on your relationship. You know. When you started to look all old and grandma."

"Thanks."

"You look great now, though."

"Thanks."

"Is that a grey hair?"

Jane glared. "Has Thor ever mentioned a girl called Darcy?"

"Yeah."

"She leant me her tazer for this trip."

"Okay." Tony finished his cocktail in silence. Jane sipped hers, but seemed like she had too much on her mind. Obviously. Tony could understand her predicament more than he was able to tell her.

"I hope I've... helped?"

"You have. I think... I think I just had to say it out loud to someone who... understood." Jane took a moment, then said almost speculatively. "Do you know what a bound huma- _Midgardian_ is called?"

"Oh, this was on Jeopardy last night, wasn't it?" Tony smiled. "Oddly enough, I know this one. They're called Thralls."

"It comes from 'enthralled'. Back in ancient times, a household slave would be buried with their master or mistress to serve them in the afterlife. Whether the slave was dead or not. There's evidence of one being buried alive with her mistress during the Saxon era. That's where it comes from. Thrall. It means slave."

Tony nodded. "Kind of says it all, doesn't it?"

Tony felt a lot in common with the girl. He knew the decision that was facing her because... because every day Loki came to him, he was getting more and more insistent on the binding.

Even the last time they met. Loki had cornered him in the kitchen, pressing him against the counter, silencing Tony's inane babble about a movie he had seen with Bruce and Barton with his slender fingers pressed against Tony's lips. "þjá ey. It must be soon."

"Why? What's kicking off?" Tony had asked quizzically and not a tiny bit suspiciously.

"I cannot hope to hide from the eyes of Heimdall forever. Despite my skill I am no fool, I cannot keep myself from his gaze for long."

"Oh yeah, I think I met him. Creepy guy."

"Please, Tony," Loki had said, almost placating. "Why are you delaying the inevitable? Do you believe that you will ever find anyone who can make you feel as good as I do?"

Tony hadn't argued with him. He couldn't. The eyes in front of him were so strong, were so certain. For Loki, Tony might as well have been trying to convince him the oceans were purple for all the chance of changing the man's mind. Instead, he just hadn't answered.

Loki had run his tongue roughly over his ear and whispered, "You're mine. And I am yours. Why deny yourself this when you have been lost for so long?"

_Lost._ For Jane and himself, it had taken a godlike being from another universe to be _found_. How likely was it that either of them would find another like that again?

"What's Thor like when he's fighting?"

"Fucking unbelievable. No style, of course. But boy can he swing that hammer."

Tony wobbled his way up to his room hours later, Miss Molly No-Fun-At-All wittering in his ear. She ended with, "So can I get your signature for the approval, Mr Stark?"

Tony turned a blank face on her. "You know what; write down everything you just said, because I wasn't listening. Put it in an email with the subject heading 'things you don't care about'. Then delete it and quit bothering me."

"I'll talk to you in the morning, Mr Stark," she said, turning on her heel and leaving the penthouse.

"It's _Tony_!" Tony shouted at her retreating back.

Tony rubbed his face and took a long moment to gather himself. What hotel was he in? What state for that matter? He locked the door behind Molly and waited a second. Then he turned sharply, staring back into the room. No Loki. He checked all the rooms. Nothing. _Well fuck._

He threw himself down on a couch and reached for a bottle. He opened it and drank, not particularly caring what it was. His fingers pulled open the black tie around his neck and unbuttoned the shirt down to his stomach.

It was getting harder and harder to put Loki off. Believe it or not, even Tony's prodigious ability to distract the obsessive god with blow jobs was starting to fail. This þjá ey shit was becoming a mania with him. He would ask Tony about it all the time. During their fucking he would whisper about how good it would be once they were bound. He'd talk about it nonstop while Tony knelt between his knees and sucked.

Early on, Tony had tried simply demanding Loki knock it off. It had never led to anything but punishment. The only response Tony could give that didn't lead to pain or a commitment on his part was silence. Loki wasn't satisfied with the silence but the alternative, an outright refusal from Tony, had once led to a night of a lot of pain and almost a trip to the hospital.

Tony's body shuddered as he remembered. His head tipped back and he found his hand running up and down the muscles in his stomach. Again, Loki hadn't appeared now for two nights. As the clock ticked on, Tony resigned himself to the fact it was probably going to be a third.

His fingers tightened harshly over a nipple and he hissed out. Tony opened his eyes. Still no Loki. It wasn't fair. Tony never got to make the booty calls, _he was_ the booty call. His hand undid his buckle and slipped underneath the fabric.

He bit his lip as he squeezed. The last time Loki had come, he had been... Tony breathed out as his hand worked, remembering the crop against the inside of his thighs. The sting had been so intense. There had been an argument, of course, over Bruce and Barton and the movie. Tony had played it up for as long as he could before finally giving in and smiling as the real games began.

Loki had demanded a lot from him that night. And Tony had worked his hardest to obey. The stricter the instruction, the more Tony had wanted to please and when he had managed it, Loki had been so... praising.

_Good boy. Pretty boy. Sweet boy..._

Tony heard the smash of glass as the tumbler slipped from his fingers and shattered but it ignored it, his hips fucking the air as rubbed the head with a thumb, pumping his length. It was good, but he needed more.

He forced his eyes back open and stood, stumbling slightly to the bathroom. The shower... maybe. But Tony's eyes turned to the bath instead. A sudden, hysterical urge took him and he filled the bath with cold water. He stripped quickly as it filled and sank in.

The cold was a shock to the system as Tony forced himself back and deep, his head only out of the water. His erection hadn't suffered for the sudden freeze, though Tony knew that a year ago, hell even five months ago, it would have. But now cold meant sex.

_Cold means sex. Pain means sex. The shower means sex. Collars and whips and cuffs mean sex. Everything means sex and sex means Loki. _

He pumped slowly, drawing it out; imagining Loki's cold body around him, holding him, forcing him to do the unspoken, dirty things Tony had always wanted but didn't dare do. The things he would only do when he was safe and controlled. Tony's cock was throbbing noticeably in his hand.

_Fuck him for not turning up. Fuck him for reducing me to this._

The heat of Tony's hand would warm his cock, but when he moved away from that warmed area, the cold of the water felt colder. Deeper. He was shuddering from the cold, shaking from the mounting tension in his body, his breath gasping and ragged.

"Fuck yes! Yes, Loki!" he panted, his hips bucking furiously into his fist.

How does he see Loki? How does the man... the god live in his mind? _My god!_ Tony's first image was tall, towering over him. Controlling. Making Tony feel weak and helpless, but loved and prized. It made Tony feel like some small animal Loki had just rescued one day. That made Tony angry. It made him weak with desire. It made him feel so needed. And that made him angrier.

Tony was whining, panting. His shaking hand quickly pushed a finger into his ass pumping in and out.

Loki. Tall. Controlling. Powerful. That was the immediate image. The next thing Tony felt was always the solid cock prodding at his mouth, slipping in, taking him with abandon as Tony gagged and drooled. The taste. The smell. It was all embedded into any memory Tony had of Loki.

Loki's legs around him, Tony kneeling between them like a good boy. Legs which were long pale and toned. Powerful. Beautiful.

"Oh, fuck," Tony whimpered. In his mind's eye, his face tilted, following those legs up.

Loki's stomach and chest, flat and muscular, but not heavy like his brother. A slender and nimble frame. Tony had once run his tongue up that body from the cock, across the stomach, dipping to the belly button, over the chest and between the pecks, over the neck to slide into Loki's mouth. Loki's hands had reached out and squeezed Tony's ass playfully, suggesting the god had enjoyed the sensation as much as Tony had.

_I have to do that again when I get my hands on him._

Loki's body was tall and slender. Tony's was slender, but shorter. When Loki wrapped around him, holding him in bed while they slept, or leaning into Tony's body while he pounded his ass, they almost interlocked. Tony's frame fitted almost perfectly into Loki's. When they were facing each other, their cocks would rub together deliciously. Loki's legs could wrap around him while Tony's face was pressed up into his gods neck.

Tony kept his eyes closed tightly, losing himself in the memories flooding him. Two fingers pushed in hard. Tony's other hand released his cock, letting the cold water chill the warmed cock for a while as he played with his balls. He was keening, squirming in the water. His own voice was bouncing off the hard walls of the bathroom and filling his head with his own whimpers.

He recognised the sound – it was the voice of the little boy Loki had created in him. It was a sound that he had never made in his life before the god.

Loki's hands with long, delicate fingers which could stroke him to ecstasy or leave bruises that didn't heal for days. Hands which had once wrapped around Tony's neck and closed his airways until Tony climaxed into unconsciousness. Tony's cock jerked hard in his hands as he remembered his bruises. Each one on his body had a story and he remembered all of them.

"Loki, Loki!"

Loki's neck. Loki's shoulders. Slender, narrow, regal, elegant. His face, pale and narrow and framed with black hair. His features loving and gentle, or harsh and cruel. But always those green, piercing eyes which looked at Tony, into Tony, following him everywhere, focused on him like he was the centre of the universe. The lips, the pink tongue darting out to lave across them. To run over Tony's dick.

"Oh fuck!" Tony wailed. He pushed in three fingers, the burning stretching making him feel whole. He drove his fingers in hard, trying to be as merciless as his god would.

The voice. _Yesss._ Loki, Silver Tongued Loki with that voice and that way of speaking, driving Tony crazy with whispered poetry, with stories of sex and lust. And always in Loki's little tales Tony had the starring role. The sweet boy and the wicked panther. The sweet boy captured and forced to learn just how much pain one can feel and still cum.

"Loki!" Tony cried.

His body spasmed like a shock wave had rolled through him and out through his cock. He exploded and saw lights behind his eyes. He heard the sloshing of the water, the splash as it hit the floor. His body shook hard, aching and worn as he finally fell still in the freezing water. Tony blinked, trying to pull his world back together.

Tony hauled himself out. His legs were wobbly. It was one of the best orgasms he had ever had.

"See," he muttered defiantly. "I don't need him at all."


	24. Chapter 24: Vegas

"Blow on the dice."

"Er, no."

"Come on, Bruce!"

"No."

Tony rolled his eyes and threw. The small red dice bounced along the table. He clapped and made a gesture of triumph as they landed and the croupier called, "Seven Out. Bet Wins."

"That's what I'm talking about!" Tony said. The women around him laughed. One long legged bleach blonde ran a hand down his arm. Bruce was rolling his eyes. Tony scooped up the dice again and tossed them at Bruce. "Go on man."

Bruce looked like he had been handed a grenade. "No, r-really I don't think so."

Tony slung a few chips onto the field. "Go on, throw them."

"How much did you just put down?"

Tony glanced over with disinterest. "Er, four, five thousand? Just throw the dice."

"I'm not throwing the dice."

"It's fun." Tony could see he was getting nowhere dragging his friend into this particular sin. He sighed and knocked Bruce's hand. The dice jumped and rolled onto the table.

"Yo-Eleven. Bet wins."

Tony clapped Bruce on the back. "See? You've just doubled that. Come on, let's have another round."

"No, let's not," Bruce said firmly. A man who seems sweet and modest and who throws winning dice. The women were now swinging their hips in his direction. Tony smiled and finished his glass of scotch.

He pointed at Bruce and called over the crowd, "He's the sensible one. He keeps me out of mischief." The women laughed again. They'd laugh at anything, they were the type. "Come on; let's go find something to drink."

Bruce walked in Tony's shadow, his shoulders hunched as they made their way to the exclusive bar; high rollers and billionaires and models only please. Tony threw a perturbed look at his huddled friend (it shouldn't be possible to huddle all by yourself) and sighed. "I take you to Vegas and you still look miserable. How can you be miserable in Vegas?"

"We tried this already. When we went to the movies. When we went to the bar. It's never going to work, Tony. I'm just better off away from people."

"How is that possible? People are everything."

Bruce laughed softly. "Oh man, that explains so much."

Tony opened his mouth for a snappy retort but thought better of it. Because it was true. He lived in other people's eyes. There was never going to be a moment in his life where being alone was preferable. Okay, when he disappeared off into his world of science, abandoning all company, that was different.

Although was it? In public, he was the centre of attention. The mindless women like at the Craps Table, seemingly following him where ever he went. That was just part of the job. Then there were the bright women, the journalists and lawyers who wanted to get into his head and not just his bed. That was fun. Then there were the men who admired him, hated him. Very few of either gender actually became _friends_, but Tony needed them there anyway.

In the lab, he pretended at a solitary life. But he had invented Jarvis, who was just as willing to give him a ticking off as any of the _real_ friends in his life - though Tony objected to the word. Jarvis was more real than some of the mindless fluttering moths who usually inhabited his immediate circle. And not forgetting the robot arms which, for reasons he could never explain properly, he had made semi-autonomous. Dumb and Dumber.

Tony needed to be liked and loved and the centre of everyone's world. Even if they hated him, that was attention.

Green eyes that focus on him and only him as he hangs from the ceiling. Green eyes which watch his body giving wracking shudders of pain and lust. Green eyes that focus on him as he cums and watches every gasp and wail that falls from his mouth like it's was the most enrapturing thing in the world. Green eyes that watch him as he bobs up and down on the most amazing -

"Tony."

He jerked awake. He looked around and up. "Ah, thanks – give me alcohol."

"Any type?" The waitress asked politely.

"Alcoholic."

"Right away, Mr Stark."

"Did you order something?" Tony asked Bruce as the waitress left.

"Just water."

"Oh please," Tony said wearily. He shifted uncomfortably for a moment. He really shouldn't think of Loki during the day. Especially not in company. Even at the thought his body would leap up, begging like a dog.

"What were you thinking about?"

"Maybe we need to get you laid. I have the number for this great agency – there's a girl there called Tina-"

"Forget it," Bruce said firmly.

"The agency does guys too."

"Would you ever stop?"

"Tina is studying for a PhD in molecular biology. Really bright, really hot. You'll love her."

"I cannot believe I am having this conversation," Bruce said hopelessly, burying his head in his hands. "You're impossible, Anthony Stark."

Tony smiled broadly. "You love it."

"I _tolerate_ it. Just." Bruce looked up, rubbing his hands together absently as he looked over at the bar. He was a watcher, focused on the comings and goings of people, trying to suss out how they ticked, rather than Tony who just leapt straight in. "Tina?"

"Tina Diamond. Not her real name. She wouldn't tell me that. Great girl. I'll give you a number."

"No," Bruce said again firmly.

"Spoil sport."

Why was he trying so hard to get a hooker in for his friend?

_Because he's my friend and he deserves to enjoy the highlife on my credit card. Least I can do for a guy who puts up with my bull. _

_Sure Tony, whatever you say. It's not because you're trying to hide the fact that you're not exactly interested in the ladies anymore._

Tony was worried about that, but thankfully Bruce provided a perfect opportunity. He asked, "Isn't your girlfriend… sorry, it's Martha, isn't it? Oh yeah, Lockley. Isn't Lockley going to be a little vexed about all this?"

"I told her you were coming too. That seemed to help."

"Great, so I'm supposed to be the warden tonight?"

"If that's your thing. I can call you sir if you like."

_Is that flirting? Fuck, I think it was._

Blessedly, the waitress arrived with the drinks. There was a silence as Tony took a long sip of whiskey and Bruce took a few gulps of water. Water. In Las Vegas. The man sure knew how to party.

"You need to try this with Steve."

Captain Morality Clause out on the town with Tony Stark? _Yeah. I'd rather juggle nuclear warheads..._

_I should juggle nuclear warheads. That would be so cool. _

_Loki would kill you._

_So what?_

_Loki wouldn't like it._

Tony felt a little annoyed as the prospect of getting Loki pissed off with him effectively killed his desire for circus tricks with nuclear bombs. He couldn't believe that with a whip and lubricant Loki had managed to control Tony's desire for doing the foolhardy, lethal things far more effectively than Bruce or Pepper had ever done with love, friendship and patience.

"Steve would never go for this."

"But I have?" Bruce said in a tone which made him sound surprised at himself. He probably was.

Tony smiled gently. "Well, you're a friend. You tolerate me enough to humour me."

Bruce seemed a little ashamed. "Seriously, Tony. I am having fun. Thank you. Not everyone is so willing to be in the same room as me. But you... you stood up to the Other Guy when he was ready to rip you apart. You talked him... me back. You're... important to me."

Tony leaned over and took the glass of water from Bruce. "What did they put in this thing?" he said with a sniff. "Got to be vodka."

Bruce chuckled softly.

Tony and Bruce went off to their beds at around two in the morning. The Caesar Palace Penthouse was always Tony's favourite in Vegas. Okay, it was a pretty old hotel and in terms of what it could offer; he could get better at the Bellagio. But there were two bedrooms, a spacious living room with bar and the view. The view was incredible.

And... and it had been his father's preferred hotel. Back in the day.

Tony said goodnight to Bruce and walked into his own room. He glanced at the bed before crossing to the bathroom, closing the door and washing his face in the sink.

"I begin to tire of finding you with him."

Tony leapt out of his skin and whipped round before Loki had even finished his sentence. "Well I begin to tire of having a heart attack whenever you pop up, you freaking jack-in-the-box!"

Loki was not looking impressed. Tony inwardly smiled, triumphantly. He was so hoping this would happen. He wasn't sure that half the reason behind this little trip was to do this. For once, he was going to win this argument. This was the day.

"I will not tolerate it, Tony. Searching Stark Tower only to be informed by your mechanical servant that you were in this… _place_."

"Tony Stark, jet setter. I go where I please."

"Not anymore. Your only responsibility is to wait for the next time I require your body."

"I thought outwardly, I was supposed to be acting normally? Well, Tony goes to Vegas with his mates. That's what Tony does."

"_Tony_ is going to get beaten if he is not careful."

Tony raised two hands warningly. "Bruce is in the other room."

"He can join in if he likes."

_Fuck. Don't think about it, don't think about it, don't think about it._

_Damn. I thought about it._

Maybe the surprising lack of disgust with the idea showed on Tony's face because the next thing he knew, Loki had backhanded him violently. Tony stumbled and fell to the floor. He was up again quickly, walking back away from the stalking god.

"Oh Tony. I am going to hurt you so badly, you'll beg me to let you pass out," Loki whispered, gently, lovingly, but with a fire in his eyes. He saw a knife slipping down between Loki's fingers.

Tony had never believed it before today - Loki had once accused _him_ of being the instigator, the manipulative one. Tony had brushed it off as the usual crap that violent men hurled at their partners. But Tony had organised this trip in part to throw Loki off. Tony wanted him angry. And the next step of the plan was just as manipulative.

Tony pulled off his jacket as he knelt down. "Loki," he crooned, slipping his dress shirt off too. "Please. I did want to tell you where I was going. Cross my heart and everything, I did. I've missed you, I've _needed_ you, but you're never around."

Tony crawled, a sure way of exciting Loki. He rested his hands on the god's thighs, his head in just the right spot. "After all, you've never given me anyway of contacting you," Tony said, playing it sadly.

He smirked inwardly as Loki seemed to hesitate. His eyes flicked to Loki's hand briefly and saw that the knife had disappeared. Loki moved away for a moment, looking intense and thoughtful. He turned back. "This is what you want? You require from me some grand gesture?"

"I don't want anything, Loki. I am yours when you come to me, but otherwise, I have to keep going normally. If you want me to be somewhere, if I need you to know that I won't be at Stark Tower, how do we do that?"

Loki looked away, thinking hard. He was clearly a little thrown. Tony held back his urge to laugh at him. Clearly, the man didn't like not being in charge. Tony suddenly had a panic stricken second when he remembered he was in fact here with Bruce.

He stood and walked over to the door. He tried to open it, to check Bruce was still closed up in the bedroom, but the door wouldn't move.

"Magically sealed. Nothing in or out, not even sound."

"Very cool," Tony said. "Did you use that on the Helicarrier?"

"On the Helicarrier, I was hoping we'd get caught."

"Oh yeah." Tony turned back.

Loki was still looking a little lost. Tony took a little pity on him. "Do you want me naked?"

Loki looked up and nodded. Tony stripped the rest of his clothes slowly, because he knew that's what Loki liked. He wanted a way of communicating with Loki. He wanted something to show that Loki didn't just drop in when he fancied for booty calls. Tony wasn't put on this earth for booty calls.

_I want to call him when I want him. I want to call him for sex, just for fucking once._

"I thought you promised to fuck me cold again."

A small smile broke out over Loki's face, betraying his approval of Tony's lust. "I remember promising no such thing."

Tony looked over at the large, marble shower, so like the one at home. "Fuck me in the shower. As a Jotun."

"Beg."

"Please," Tony purred. "You know you want to."

Tony turned the water on hot and forced himself to stand under it. It wasn't as burning hot as last time, but standing under it for long enough would do the same work. Loki leaned against the door of the shower, watching Tony.

"Touch yourself."

Tony reached down lazily to pull at his length. Long strokes up and down as he gazed into Loki's eyes.

_He's so beautiful when you catch him in the right light. _

"Hard and hot, Tony. Then we play."

"Way ahead of you." Tony hissed through gritted teeth.

"The water is loud, Tony, so I will need to hear those croons and cries louder. Make yourself wail, boy."

Tony hesitated for a moment. "Are you sure Bruce won't hear?"

Loki didn't reply. The man kept his eyes on Tony as he shimmered and was suddenly gloriously naked. Tony held down a sigh. He gazed at Loki, eyes running down his body and staring at his crotch. The god was excited, but not enough.

Tony adjusting the shower head so he stayed under the hot spray but moved so he could reach Loki's cock. He grasped it tenderly and stroked, running his fingers over the head.

"Keep touching yourself, boy," Loki said warningly.

Tony muttered angrily and started stroking himself again, leaving his left hand on himself and his more skilled right on Loki. "It's just foreplay. I don't want this; I want your cock in me."

"Exactly. Have you ever considered that my commanding you to pleasure yourself against your will - the irony in commanding you to feel pleasure despite you craving pain, is just another way to dominate you?"

Tony cock twitched hard in his hand as his hips bucked and lips opened wide. "I hadn't thought," Tony whimpered. "I will now though."

"Stop."

"You've got to be fucking kidding me." Tony's eyes narrowed in a glare.

"Where's the fun in it for me if you're enjoying yourself?"

Tony could have spat, but let go anyway. The heat under the water was making him tired and dizzy. But he obeyed when Loki told him to increase the temperature.

"Turn."

Tony felt handcuffs go on behind his back, and a blindfold shut off his sight. Blindfold was good, so good. The blindfold meant ice. "Why the blindfold? I've already seen you like-"

"Quiet."

"Then you should probably gag me," Tony suggested.

"Don't be such a slut, boy."

Again, Tony's cock twitched involuntarily. Only with Loki had he ever experienced his body having such a mind of its own. Loki stepped into the shower behind him and Tony smiled in ecstasy at the simple sound of the shower door shutting.

Closed in a private world of pain and pleasure. Trapped in a small world with nothing and no one but Loki. "Loki," Tony breathed unthinkingly.

_Since when did showers become a kink?_

_Since him..._

"Stroke me."

"You tied my hands together, genius," Tony snapped. He yelped as Loki's hand slapped his ass hard.

"I think you'll find it's not impossible. And less talking. Tony Stark may jeer, but when I am in the company of my boy, I expect quiet, keen, lustful obedience."

Tony grumbled and reached out behind his back. His first surprise was that with a certain amount of effort, it was possible to stroke Loki off like this. His second surprise was to find the ice cold cock.

Tony whined as he jerked Loki off. "I want this is my mouth," he pleaded. His hands were turning to ice and he stopped once or twice to flex stiff fingers. "Fuck, you're so cold!"

"Have you been a good boy today?"

_Let's see... drinking, gambling, and girls. Everything Loki disapproved of in his boy. And possibly – though not confirmed – flirting with Bruce..._

"By whose standards?"

"That pretty much answers the question, doesn't it boy?"

"If I suck you off like a good boy, I promise next time you come back, I'll do something I don't want to do without a fight."

Loki seemed to consider this. "I can make you do whatever I want now."

"But I won't fight. Just for once, wouldn't you like an obedient whore?"

The slap came down hard on this thigh. Tony bit his lip but kept up his service.

"Do not use that word."

"You use it!"

"To excite you. Whore, slut, toy - these are all words to prompt your arousal. But do not believe that I consider you cheap or whorish. When referring to yourself, you are _boy_. My boy and only mine. Your… admittedly wanton behaviour is not cheap, but an expression of your devotion to my command."

Tony stroked the ice cold length behind him harder as warmth inside his stomach began to grow, spreading and filling him like the rays from the sun. He smiled gleefully. "You _have _to let me suck you off now."

"With the promise of obedience at a later date of my choosing?"

"Yes. I swear."

"The Promise of Obedience," Loki repeated, though this time Tony could _hear_ the capitals. It was like Loki was making a point, making it official.

Tony wondered suddenly what he might have just gotten himself in to. There could be a lot of pain, a lot of grief on the horizon. Tony's smile broadened. Nice to know he was still capable of getting himself into lethal amounts of trouble, nuclear warhead or no nuclear warhead.

_Playing with a loaded gun is safer than this._

_Sure, but I don't tend to orgasm when playing Russian Roulette._

"Very well. On your knees."

That was fun. First getting down safely without slipping and then finding the cock in the darkness of the blindfold. Loki chuckled and Tony knew that he was getting a dark joy in watching Tony trying to find him in the dark.

"Why won't you let me see you?"

"Hush boy."

"You look amazing in blue," Tony crooned.

"Suck."

Tony let the tip slip wetly in and out of his mouth. Under the hot spray, the cold length felt wonderful. Occasionally, Tony had to pause, pulling off and tilted his face back into the hot water. It was magnificent but so cold that his tongue was going numb and his jaw was seizing. It forced a slower pace to the blowjob and Tony having to stop intermittantly was deeply exciting for them both.

Loki didn't force Tony down. Tony recognised the hesitation on Loki's part to be overly violent in this form. Tony knew he was going to have to change that. He wanted to get forced into bed and fucked hard by an ice giant. Then he could cross it off the bucket list.

Tony sucked hard, wiping his tongue across the head in long, flat strokes. He heard a groan from Loki. Tony would have compared it to sucking ice, but the taste of Loki was so powerful. It was like an ice lolly.

_Loki lolly._

Tony felt the bubble of laughter rise in his chest and he couldn't help but chuckle. He felt Loki run chilled fingers through his hot, clinging wet hair and pull his face back.

"What amuses you?"

_Fuck it. Just be honest. _"I just can't believe how happy I am with you." Tony almost felt ashamed at his confession, because playing the game was one thing. Admitting that is another.

Loki chuckled himself and pushed Tony's head back to his busy work. Tony was taking more in, shuddering with the freezing temperatures. He wondered vaguely if he was going to get an ice headache.

"Are you ready, boy? I wish to be in you."

Tony hummed in agreement; holding the cock in his mouth until Loki finally laughed tenderly and pulled him off. Tony let go, a little regretfully. He gave it a last lick before it disappeared into the blackness of his blindfold.

Tony mewled. "Take the blindfold off, man. I don't give a fuck what you look like."

"Quiet. Put your back against the wall and pull up your knees. I want to watch you this time."

Tony obeyed and felt icy hands grabbing his legs and spreading him wider. He was prepared quickly and when Loki finally pushed in Tony almost jumped out of his body, his legs pushing down, trying to climb up and away from the cold. Not because he didn't want it - he wanted it so badly. But the ice made every nerve scream and his body involuntarily tried to escape the harsh treatment.

Unlike the first time, his body knew what was coming now. His muscles clenched down, despite Tony trying to relax. Loki's strength was beyond anything Tony's body could accomplish and his tensing didn't slow him at all. It was a painful thrust and Tony gave a strangled sob.

Aware that it wasn't exactly the sound of lust that his partner might have been hoping for, he quickly gasped out, "Please don't stop!" Loki needed to know, regardless of the pain, it was so worth it.

An icy tongue ran over his lips luxuriously. "Don't alarm yourself, boy. I have no intention of stopping. You asked for the monster and now you must suffer for it."

"Yessss," Tony hissed in pleasure.

There was a pause. Loki was apparently moving the shower head because seconds later an unrelenting stream was pounding hard against his chest and face, hotter than before. The boy gasped and choked slightly as he inhaled water.

The slight drowning sensation threw him into a whole new world of panicked excitement. Loki's fingers were running over his chest and stomach. The hot water was burning and the cold fingers tracing patters in his chest were freezing him. That was half the point of the blindfold he supposed. With one sense shut down, touch and taste and smell were focused beyond belief.

"What's the difference between kink and insanity?" Tony gasped. He bounced up and down on the cock. "This feels so good!"

Loki's cold tongue slipped into Tony's hot mouth. He groaned leaning in, desperate for more. His mouth went numb in seconds. Loki was moving hard against him, ploughing in and out of his body. A cold hand was quickly stroking him.

"Stop," Tony whimpered, trying to buck the hand away. "Too soon!" He squirmed and cursed as his climax rushed towards him. His hands fought against the cuffs, trying to get free to push the hand away. He was panting with the exertion, forcing himself not to think of the pleasure but the pain in his wrists and the cold devastating his nerves. But that only made him harder. "Stop, Loki! It's too soon!" he demanded angrily.

"Your body temperature is dropping," Loki explained his voice tense and husky. "Hypothermia."

It made sense, they were face to face. Loki's cock was in him and Tony's legs wrapped around his hips to hold himself up, giving Loki the best angle. Tony's legs were aching in pain from the cold. And Loki was pressed up against Tony's stomach. Basically, more Loki meant more cold. More cold meant… well, more cold meant a more desperate and horny Tony. But it also meant more chance of – and not to put too fine a point on this – death.

Tony felt fingers stroking his mouth. Loki sighed sadly, "Your lips are blue."

"I don't care!"

"Shh. Cum for me."

"No!" Tony shouted, his fear of being overheard now a long forgotten worry compared to the idea that Loki was going to force this to end so soon. "Take me harder! Fuck me! God, please!"

"Relax boy. Just cum. Cum for me my lovely boy."

Tony held back for as long as he could, but the fucking git's words were making him feel so good. So wonderful. So needed and so adored.

"Damn it," he sobbed indignantly. Loki stroked him quickly and Tony moaned furiously and squirmed as his balls started to contract. "Damn it Loki!" he shouted.

Tony gave in, bucking into the icy form with desperate abandon. Loki was unrelenting in his pounding and when he came, the cold chilling Tony to his very core, it was enough to push the playboy over the edge. As he climaxed over Loki's fist, he heard the god murmuring sweet nothings in his ear.

As Loki turned off the shower, Tony reached out with his mouth, kissing what skin he could.

"It was too fast," Tony moaned as the skin beneath his lips suddenly warmed. "You fucking short changed me!" Tony was angry and upset. He felt like he had been given that toy he had wanted for Christmas, then had it taken off him after an hour.

Loki seemed too tense. "You should not pine for the monster so. It is not a reward."

"Any time with you is a reward," Tony said quietly. "And what monster?"

"The ice monsters which haunt the nightmares of Asgardians. You should not desire its touch."

Tony shook his head. "And here I thought I was the messed up one. Why can't I want the ice form as much as I want this?" He kissed the warm skin. "If I find a way of keeping my body temperature up, would you fuck me for longer?"

"Is such an endeavour an appropriate use for your genius?"

"Saving the world or more sex? Ask Solar Energy and Viagra who's winning on that front."

"Viagra?"

Tony was about to answer when he shut his mouth quickly. "On second thoughts no. I think it might just give you ideas."

Tony stumbled away from the bathroom, glancing at the clock as he fell into the bed. Great. A few hours sleep and then up again. Bruce kept a ridiculously early schedule which cut at the heart of Tony's playboy lifestyle. As he fell asleep, he realised that Loki had never given him an answer on a way of communicating with him.

Okay, so he hadn't won that argument.

_Let's just call it a draw._


	25. Chapter 25: Speeches

**A/N: I have to apologies guys! A lot of people think that Loki's promise that he made Tony make in the last chapter is the run up to þjá ey! I am sorry if I got anyone's hopes up, because it's not. It's actually a plot point for a later story. I promise you all, it is coming. In fact I know exactly where it's coming - Chapter Thirty-Eight. I know everyone is really really keen on it, but I have to do respect for Tony Stark; he simply won't give in so easily! I know it's a pain, but bare with me. We're at a tipping point now where Tony will begin giving in slowly but surely. I know it's not generally done to put such a long rambling author's note at beginning of a chapter, but because so many people were getting excited about it, I wanted to make sure you didn't read on and get disappointed. As I say, Promise of Obedience will be coming back, but as a device in a later plot. Remembering, the bonding between Loki and Tony has to be willing on both fronts. Loki saying 'but you promised to obey' just wouldn't cut it. I see my way clear to getting a lot of writing done in the next month so I'll push the chapters out a little faster so we can get there! That's my rambling apology done... x**

As the Iron Man, he got to fly around, blast things with lasers and save the world. Teenage boy stuff. Very cool. As Tony Stark, he got to give responsible speeches. Fun... not. Tony reached out automatically as a tray went past, grabbing a martini that was probably meant for someone else. No one stopped him.

Von Doom it seemed had been a flash in the pan. Since his appearance in Mexico, there hadn't been sight or sound of him. Tony and Bruce had half expected something to happen in the middle of their Vegas trip, but nothing. For once, the universe seemed to be on their side. Tony was grateful that they had dodged the bullet on this one.

Tony glanced around. This place screamed old money. Where was he now? Oh, right. He pulled the cards out of his pocket and glared at them. The writing was going all wibbly wobbly. Tony reckoned, genius that he was, that he was probably drunk. Comfortably drunk. He could probably snap out of it if he needed to, but at the moment he was happy to enjoy the buzz.

Buzz is a funny word.

"I'm going to take a wild stab here - you're too drunk to read the cards."

"Rhodey, you wound me."

Rhodes glared at Tony and hissed, "You can't get drunk in the home of a Senator."

"Well that's all right then because I was drunk before I got here."

"Especially not one who's looking into funding your massive arc reactor project in Arkansas. And one of the few who's completely for the Avengers."

"Whatever happened to Senator Stern, I liked him. Very funny." Tony said, smiling darkly in remembrance.

"Tony-"

"Hey, has anyone ever noticed that Arkansas is a pretty funny word?" He asked the people around him. They all gave him blank looks. "No? Just me?" He turned back to Rhodes. "Since when did you care about the Avengers?"

The glass was taken out of his hand as Rhodes stood in front of him seriously. "I can see what the Avengers are, and what they can do, will do for this country. I'm all for it, Stark. But you need political support, like it or not." He slapped Tony on the shoulder. "Don't fuck this up."

Tony was about to retort when he saw a man in a black coat turning to face him. Loki gazed at him across the room with piercing eyes. It was enough to completely derail Tony's thoughts and sober him alarmingly.

And there it was, the boy inside of him crooning to be near his god. _I'm at work! _Tony hissed at his inner, pitiful self. _Yeah, or we could go and get punished right now. Your call. _

Last time they had met in the real world, Tony had been the Iron Man. Dealing with the psycho god of destruction was alright in the suit. What hope did Tony Stark, billionaire have? All Tony could do was play to a crowd and throw money about. And build a gun, though he didn't see anything around him that could help him on that front.

Loki wasn't known for letting Tony ever get a word in during their games. Loki didn't want to hear Tony's showmanship; he wanted to hear his pleas and wails. So what did that leave him? Could he buy Loki off? How much would he have to pay Loki for the god to give him a night off from being bent every conceivable way to satisfy an insane god?

"You're completely sloshed, aren't you?" Rhodes snapped angrily. He rolled his eyes at his old and tiresome friend. "You've done this before when you could barely stand. Come on. The speech is in the garden."

Rhodes pulled Tony through a set of glass double doors, out of the hall and into a large Chinese garden. Tony's head whipped around to see if Loki was following, but couldn't spot him in the crowd walking out with them.

_Maybe I'm just imagining him. I'm about due to go insane._

The man on the stage was announcing him and Tony let his disappointment drop to be replaced by his easy charm. He thanked Senator... he honestly couldn't remember his name, and took up his place at the podium. He looked at his cards briefly, then threw them over his shoulder.

"Fuck 'em. I'll just make it up." he said. Everyone laughed.

Tony saw Loki standing in a doorway of the house. Those green eyes were fixed on him.

"Yes, well. I am Tony Stark and for those who don't know, I'm the Iron Man." Again, everyone laughed. Who didn't know?

Tony launched into his speech and it was a good speech. About desperate times and rising heroes. About the arc reactor, "Once described to me, as a warm light for all mankind." Tony said and watched Loki's small smile.

All in all, he acquitted himself well and without any major detours designed to get himself into trouble. It wasn't like him.

Rhodes, smiling for the cameras, shaking Tony's hand mentioned it out of the corner of his mouth. "I was so expecting you to do a _Tony Stark_."

"Would I?"

"That's why it's call a fucking _Tony Stark_."

Tony didn't. He didn't have even an inclination to screw up the speech out of a personal motive, or just because he was bored. Because he wasn't bored. There was an insane god over there. Playing with live ammo was written into his DNA.

Messing up a speech in a Senator's home just to annoy him and everyone now seemed so trivial. Why muck up a speech when you could swear at a god, get beaten bloody for a few hours before the same hand that brought so much pain would reach around and stroke you into climax so tenderly.

_You used to pick up women from these events, take them home and do them, then get Pepper to chuck them out in the morning. Now you pine to get punished by Thor's brother._

_And your point is?_

After the photo shoot and the congratulations were finally over with the problem became, as always, navigating his way through the fawners and vultures. So many autographs, so many photos, so much indifference on Tony's part.

His heart dropped painfully when he reached the spot where Loki had been only to find him missing. But he quickly caught sight of black disappearing through a doorway and followed. He walked into a sort of library-waiting room set up. Tony closed the door behind them.

"Is this safe?"

"I highly doubt it. Do you care?"

"No," Tony breathed, walking forward.

Three long strides and he had the god in his arms, kissing him deeply. Tony's tongue running over every inch - every time they kissed it was a revelation. Every time they kissed Tony's tongue would explore Loki's mouth. Nothing changed, but it was always a wonder.

What had changed was their synchronicity. They knew now how the other would move, what they would do. What they wanted, what they needed. There was no more clicking teeth or confused fumbling. Tony gasped slightly as they fell back onto a couch, but couldn't bring himself to let those delicious lips go.

Loki was dragging him up the couch, arranging his body, unbuckling his trousers. Tony just lost himself in the kiss, waiting for the first command.

"Touch yourself."

Tony's hand reached immediately for his hardening cock without a moment of embarrassment or hesitation. Loki said touch himself, he touched. Loki said stop, he'd stop. Loki said jump... Well, Tony would probably say fuck off, but whatever.

"You're going to cum now, boy. Let's get that edge off now before we play. You'll last longer."

Tony growled at the smirk on Loki face, but his hand didn't stop. He wished it was Loki's warm hand on him, but there was little use in asking. It didn't take Tony long, he was already bucking and grunting.

"You've been gone too long," Tony growled, feeling the need to explain.

"It's only been a few days, my sweet boy."

"Too long," Tony growled.

"I shall endeavour to come-"

"Every night. Want you every night," Tony demanded through gritted teeth as his cock throbbed and bounced in his madly jerking hand.

Loki was still above him, watching him intensely like Tony was some fascinating creature. "I think, even if I did, you would get tired of me. Demand I leave; demand I give you your space."

Tony growled angrily. "Even if I say it, even if I fight, even if I demand you leave, don't you dare stop coming!"

_Did I really just say that? _

_Well it's true._

"I will try, my pretty boy." Loki was delicately brushing the hair out of his eyes, pulling free the tie, kissing Tony's hot neck and undoing the top buttons of his shirt. "For now, I have such a special game in mind. You are going to hate me and cum harder than you've ever done in your life. Do not fight me. Give in to the fact that there's nothing you can do but be my little vessel to fill."

Tony was keening now. He was teetering on the edge and it wasn't going to be long before-

He was suddenly on the floor, his head knocking the stone. He blinked in a daze as his hands were tied behind his back with his own tie and a gold scarf from around Loki's own neck was wrapped twice around his head, gagging him. Of all the trivial things to think about… the scarf smelt of Loki. Tony felt a throb run through his body like a heartbeat.

Loki pulled him up into a kneeling position. Tony's cock was pointing out straight up front of him and pressing painfully against his stomach.

Loki pulled something out of his pocket. Tony stared at it for a moment, tried to spit out a sting of curses from behind the gold scarf and attempted to stand. Loki's hand was in his hair, dragging him back down to his knees, and then, in a moment that Tony would remember in both his nightmares and dirtiest dreams for the rest of his life, snapped the collar around his neck.

_He's put a fucking collar on me!_

_That is so hot._

_No it's not!_

He growled in fury as Loki snapped a leash to it and sat back down on the couch in front of him.

Tony could see it in his mind's eye. His jacket had been discarded so here he was, still clothed but dishevelled - the white tailored shirt hanging open under the grey waist coat, grey trousers tangled around his knees, his cock protruding from under the hem of the shirt, red and hard and strained.

Bound, gagged, collared and leashed, kneeling like a dog at Loki's feet.

"Such a beautiful little boy, all dressed up in your suit, pretending to be the man," Loki crooned, giving the leash a slight tug.

He looked up through narrow, hate filled eyes. There the fucking prima donna was, sitting on the red leather sofa like it was a throne. One hand held the leash; the other was reaching for a glass of red wine he must have conjured.

Loki drank deeply and stared down on his little captive. He gestured around the room with the glass. "I like this room. Reminds me of my quarters in Asgard. So many fantasies I have had of you in a setting like this, I could hardly believe my luck when I found the room. All those dreams I had when I was being tortured. I promised myself I'd fulfill every one. It seems the universe smiles on my whims."

_Well I fucking wish it would smile on mine._

"When you have finally stopped your feeble protests and agreed to bind yourself to me, we will have a home with no doors and no windows. You will never be able to leave. But do not shudder, my pet, for I will ensure you never wish to. We will have a library, such as this. And a shower."

Tony felt his cock jump, eager and delighted at the images Loki was spinning. Tony shook with anger at his body's betrayal. _He's just going to leave me in the end! Betray me and leave!_ he wanted to scream at his enthusiastic body.

His cock was throbbing so hard in response _maybe, but think of how he will make me feel while he's here._

Tony was shaking with rage and loathing, but redirected his thoughts on getting rid of his erection.

_Think of anything but him! Cold showers. Fuck, no, not showers. Not cold. Think of the pain in his head. Pain, Loki pushing hard. Dominating. _

Tony groaned miserably. Oh for fuck's sake, was there anything left in him that Loki hadn't warped into sex?

_Think of anything but Loki! Steve Rogers. _Tony found himself laughing. That was surprisingly effective.

A tsking sound came from his god. "Now that won't do," Loki sighed reprovingly. The man reached down and grasped Tony erection. Tony groaned piteously, trying to pull his hips away. "Think naughty thoughts, boy," Loki teased, stroking him back into full hardness.

As soon as he had, Loki sat back again, refilling his glass. It was so painful, and Tony thought that as the Iron Man he had pretty much experienced every type of pain out there. Shot out of the sky numerous times, hitting the earth with enough force to kill him had he not been suited. Bullets, stab wounds and not forgetting the all-time winner, the bomb that had pummelled thousands of tiny shards of shrapnel into his chest.

Turns out, he was so horribly wrong on that front. This was a whole new level of pain which only a man could ever understand.

This wasn't the first time Loki had left him hard and begging, but never for this long and never this hard. The problem was half of the torment was coming from Tony's own mind. This entire situation, the humiliation and the lack of control, was making him desperate to fuck. Loki would reach over now and again, running his fingers through Tony's hair, down his neck, keeping Tony hard with tiny strokes, but not relieving him.

Tony gazed at the floor, his body shuddering, tears falling from his eyes. And it was the words. The dreams that were pouring from Loki's skilled, silver tongue were creating a whole new world in Tony's mind. A world where his life would be so simple and so free... not 'free' in the sense of 'liberty' obviously. But free from any responsibility and that was freedom in a warped way.

It seemed like an eternity before Tony finally heard the loosening of fastenings. He looked up to see Loki's free hand pulling out his long pale cock. Tony was disappointed to see that Loki was only semi-hard. At a look from Loki, Tony shuffled forward; moving awkwardly because of his tangled trousers and took up his place between the long, black clad legs. He waited, but Loki didn't make any sign that he was going to remove the scarf.

Tony raised his head, leaning forward and rubbing his cheek against Loki's cock. It was a pure, base act of submission which excited them both.

Loki hissed out a long, "Yesssss."

Tony groaned as his own cock twitched painfully and, impossibly, felt the throbbing actually increase. He rubbed his face against Loki's shaft, encouraging it erect with the friction.

A sharp yank up on his leash made him look up. Loki pulled again and Tony stumbled up onto his feet. He stood swaying slightly as Loki pulled his trousers all the way to his ankles, pulled off his shoes and helped him step out. He paused as an afterthought hit him and gently blew on Tony's throbbing cock. Tony shuddered and whimpered.

Loki laughed evilly and directed him to turn. He felt Loki quickly preparing him, three fingers pushing in immediately, covered in some sort of lubrication. Tony stood, shaking, waiting. One hand grasped his bound wrists, Loki's other hand on the leash guiding him backwards, forcing the boy to impale himself on his god. Tony threw his head back and yelled into the fabric in his mouth.

Loki stroked his back, sighing and shifting slightly. Once he was content, he lay back, grabbing his glass again and taking a drink. "In your own time, boy."

Tony shuddered, eyes trying to open but some instinct was forcing them shut. His whole body seemed to be shattering.

He pushed up, shins sitting either side of Loki's lap, his thigh muscles shaking, he let himself drop. The cock hit deeper than it had previously and he still hadn't taken it all. He groaned. This was such a different position to anything they had done yet. He pulled up again, as high as he could and pressed down with all his weight. Again deeper, again a loud groan. He wasn't sure he had the strength for this.

_Just focus on the command you were given. Nothing else matters._ Up. Down. Up. Down.

Tony realised that all Loki was doing at this point was letting his boy torture himself. Why the fuck was Tony putting up with this shit? He couldn't stop. Even if he could be free of Loki, get up, get out forever, he didn't want to.

_Heaven help us both, we can't survive apart but we'll probably kill each other. _

Tony was moving quickly now, bouncing on the cock for all he was worth. Absently, he could hear the squeaking of the chair as the upholstery objected. He could hear Loki's breathy laugh.

"That's it boy," Loki panted. A hand was stroking his back. "I will come first and if you are very, very good, I will let you cum too."

Tony nodded in a daze, working his hips, rolling them, tightening as much as he could, doing everything to make Loki come. Loki was breathing hard behind him, crooning, keening, panting. He was moaning now, his hips rising to meet Tony.

"Tony, Tony, Tony, yes. Yes like that. Move your hips like that again. Yes, yes, yes! Tony, yes, my boy. My boy."

Tony was being driven insane by the words of lust. He wanted to be facing him, to see his face when he spoke. Loki seemed to read his mind. "Up. Get up, turn around. I want to see your face. Your lovely face, boy, as I cum."

Tony was quick to comply. Loki arched hard when he came, almost knocking Tony to the ground. Hands came out and grabbed his hips, holding tight enough to leave bruises. For the last few seconds, Loki literally lifted Tony up and down on his cock with frightening strength until he was finally spent. All Tony had to do was give in and let Loki use him.

Loki lay back, almost unconscious, smiling happily. Tony was shaking hard from lust and anger. He growled lividly behind his gag.

"Shh, boy. Let me enjoy the moment."

Tony growled again.

"At this rate, I will make you stand in the corner like a bad boy, and we will not play again."

Tony strained to wait, shaking, precum weeping from his straining length as Loki finally seemed to pull himself out of the half slumber. He patted Tony's face delicately and a hand on his ass squeezed possessively. Tony shuddered at the debasing act.

Loki crooked a finger and Tony, feeling his pride and strength lying in ruins, bent forward and let Loki kiss his forehead, cheeks, chin, jaw and neck. Loki leered, pulled him off and put him down on his knees again.

"How many more times can we do this before you lose control and cum without my permission?"

_If I only could I would now. But I need touch. I need you to touch me or I can't._

Tony gazed at him with hatred. Loki smiled blandly. "Or we can cut the game short and let you cum now."

Tony waited. It was clear he wasn't getting a choice in this.

Loki patted his lap, "Up."

Tony stood and sat in Loki's lap again. Loki gripped his thighs with strong hands and pushed Tony's chest back. Tony didn't get it, and Loki's pure strength had to force him into the position he wanted. This was Tony sitting in his god's lap, legs on the sofa but his back, chest and head hanging down, inches from the floor. It was a humiliating, weak position, which left him exposed, vulnerable and knowing that if Loki let go of his hips, his head was going to bounce off the hard stone floor.

Loki let Tony consider these facts for a long time, before his head dropped and he began sucking Tony's dick with malevolent unrestraint. Tony howled and writhed. He couldn't buck or thrust because he couldn't gain any leverage, so he was forced to just hang there, completely at Loki's mercy. All of this on top of the blood rushing to his head, making him dizzy and uncomfortable which only made Tony feel more helpless than he had ever done before.

Loki didn't draw the teasing out for long to Tony's glorious relief. His body shook as a wave flooded through him, making his body jerk like a puppet. A puppet controlled by a master. He exploded and Loki was swallowing the seed with a smile of satisfaction.

Tony slipped to the floor gently, gargling piteously.

"Now didn't I tell you it would be worth it?"

_Fuck yes._

Tony was being unbound and dressed. As his tie was tightened around his neck, he felt it being pulled up hard, a substitute to the leash. Tony forced himself onto his feet or the tie was just going to strangle him. He stumbled up to find Loki was Lockley, resplendent in a long green dress, a slit going all the way up her… his… _fuck it_, her thigh.

"Come along, Tony Stark. Take me back to your place and we'll do it all again."

Tony, legs a little wobbly, sunglasses fixed on his face, managed to put on a good show for the cameras outside the Senator's house.

"Stark!"

"Fuck no," he muttered. He gripped Lockley tightly around the waist, more holding himself up than anything and leaned into her. "Please don't do anything... _Loki_-ish."

"Well I'll try Tony," Lockley said patronisingly.

Tony always noticed a difference when Loki was like this. He spoke far more... normally? Far more like a normal, English woman than when he was in his male form. It was disturbing to see how easily he could slip in and out of his masks. On some level, it worried Tony. What mask was Loki wearing when he was fucking Tony? He'd like to believe he wasn't wearing any, but it was wise enough to know that couldn't be true.

Rhodes walked up. He was about to speak when he frowned. "You okay Tony?"

"What?"

"I think it's time I got him home," Lockley said with a very telling roll of his eyes.

"Hey, I'm fine," Tony said quickly, throwing a glare at her. "Er, Rhodey, this is-"

"Lockley. I guessed." Rhodes held out a hand. "Tony talks of nothing else."

"Really?" Lockley said delightedly.

"No, not really," Tony said quickly.

"Tony wasn't even this crazy about Pep-" Rhodes pulled himself up quickly.

_That's right. Bring up the old girlfriend in front of the new._

Tony gave him a sour look. "Military teach you nothing about women?" he hissed into Rhodes ear.

"Look who's talking," Rhodes hissed back.

"Well, we're off," Tony said, dragging Lockley away. "Wow your waist is small. Not you, Rhodes. Your waist is normal. Not that I'd know. See you next week."

"What's going on next week?" Lockley asked.

Tony pushed his sunglasses onto his face. "Fundraising thingy."

"Isn't this a fundraising thingy?"

"It's another fundraising thingy."

They made their way to front. The valet was already pulling the Audi around. Tony's attentions were on the paparazzi, worried about the number of photos that were going to appear in the papers of him and Lok-Lockl- the creature on his arm... which suddenly seemed to have her-his-it's lips on his neck.

"Stop it!" Tony hissed.

Lockley chuckled into his neck, but didn't stop the feathered kisses. Tony could have easily stopped him, pulled away or even pushed him away. But he didn't.

"Would Thor recognise you?" he asked, worriedly. "From a photograph?"

A tongue snaked out and caught his ear before the whispered voice replied, "Tony, Thor has fallen for my tricks without fail since we were infants. If he didn't spot it before I hardly think he's going to have a sudden leap of genius." She snorted. "Besides, I imagine he's far too busy rutting his little Midgardian."

"Hypocritical much?"

"Well, my Midgardian is far superior."

_Obviously._

Tony looked worriedly back at the stream of sparkling lights. "Maybe you should just, you know – disappear."

"No."

"Loki-"

"No." And that seemed to be that.

Once the car was ready Tony led her out of the front doors and the world became a field of flashing cameras and microphones thrust at him. He gave a quick wave to the reporters and growled in her ear, "You know, just because you're a woman right now doesn't mean you have to be a pain in the ass."

"Poor choice of words, Tony. I'll always be the pain in your ass."

"Guess I was asking for that one really."

They walked down the remaining steps to the car. Tony opened the door for her like a true gentlemen and once she was seated, pulled himself into the driver's seat.

"Must you wear those?" said the smooth, feminine voice next to him.

He looked straight ahead as he pulled away from the paparazzi. The last thing he needed was to knock one down. Again. "I'm Tony Stark, I wear sunglasses."

"All the time?"

"Yes."

"But it's night," Lockley pointed out.

"Since when did it become your job to make my fashion choices?" Tony demanded.

The female Loki rolled her eyes but didn't say anything.

"I can't believe I'm having an argument over my sunglasses with a woman who's actually a man, who's actually a god, who's actually a frost giant and… and I'm still in the fucking best mood I've ever been in since… whenever."

"Good to know," she sighed. "So Martha Lockley makes her debut."

Tony chewed his tongue. "I knew this was a bad idea. We'll have to do something about it."

"Do not concern yourself. Justin and I have already created an identity. I am a brilliant engineer who recently lost her job at a British firm. I'm here in America interviewing for a job at Hammer Industries."

"And sleeping with Tony Stark? The CEO of its competitive rival?"

"I am an independent, strong willed woman, Anthony. I do as I please. Besides, if anyone asks, we tell them we don't talk shop at home."

Tony felt like he must be in some sort of fevered dream. "This is fucking insane. And I think you're enjoying this way too much." Tony stared at Loki-Lockley. "You're still a _guy_, remember?"

"Gender is not only subjective but entirely based on culture. I am the god who makes your body do the most incredible things. Beyond that, what does it matter what I look like?"

Tony stared back at the road. The he-she-whatever-it had a point.

"Reasonably incredible," was all Tony was willing to admit.

"Now let's go back to the tower. I wish to play with you further."

"Listen, I'm all for it, but I don't think I'll be doing much of anything tonight," Tony said with a grimace.

He felt completely spent and even now it was an effort to make his body do anything. Fuck. He'd rather die than say this out loud, but he was beginning to wonder if he wasn't as young as he used to be.

He stopped at a red light and jumped as a hand landed on his crotch. Lockley squeezed gently.

"And I say I can make you hard again in eight minutes with nothing to help me but the clothes on your back."

Tony gawked at her, then, at angry honking from the red Mercedes behind him, resumed the drive back to the tower. "No you couldn't. I'm spent."

"If you manage to hold out for eight minutes, you win."

"I win what?"

"I'll hand over the location of my current accommodation. You can use it for your own personal pleasure," she purred. "Or hand the information over to your SHIELD. Whatever you choose."

Tony mulled this for a moment. "And if I lose?"

"If you are hard and willing in eight minutes of my ministrations, I get you."

"You've already got me," Tony muttered in annoyance.

"I want you willing to bind with me. Clearly, you're holding out to save whatever remnants of pride I have yet to strip from you. You will bind with me eventually and in the mean time, you must work harder to keep my good will," she snapped. She paused, composing herself. "So. I want you, for a week, chained and naked and ready to serve. Tell SHIELD you're taking some time at a retreat, on a boat in the middle of nowhere, I don't care what you tell them. Tell them you're busy getting your ass taken by a god if you want. Cancel your engagements at Stark Industries. I will demand 168 hours, not a second less, of you naked and open to me. Tony, lamppost," she finished in a bored, but slightly scolding voice.

Tony jerked as he realised, almost hitting the lamppost as his imagination went wild with thoughts. He swerved quickly back into the middle of the road.

_A week away with crazy good... binding for all eternity with a crazy god..._

"Next week?"

"Whatever week I wish."

"So you'll just pop up one day and demand that week? That doesn't seem fair."

"Then might I suggest you not lose?"

Tony paused at another red light. He rarely ever took such care over the legalities of driving, but the slower journey was giving him time to think. He even circled a few more blocks to give himself longer. "And, when you're doing your eight minutes of, whatever, you'll look like that?" he gestured at the female form.

She laughed, her green eyes flashing. At least that was the same. "No, my boy. You cannot pretend that this form excites you half as much. I believe you'd probably be able to hold out those eight minutes were I like this."

Tony glared back at the road. That had been his thought too. Loki was heart stoppingly attractive like this, of course. Competition for any of the women he had ever slept with. But there was something so wonderfully wrong and right about being dominated by another man. Tony felt in his bones that, while a female Loki was sexy, a male Loki was dirty.

And Tony was learning that there was a deep, dark part inside of him which was finally getting fed by his god.

"Eight minutes? What the hell can you do in eight minutes?"

"We seem to have been driving for some time now, Tony. Don't tell me you're lost."

"Using nothing but-"

"The clothes you're wearing."

"How does that work?"

"You might add to that list a lubricant, though if you wish to keep to our strict rules, I will happily go without it. For your sake, however, I wouldn't advise it."

Tony pulled into Stark tower, down into the loading bay and parked. Beside him, he caught out of the corner of his eye a shimmer. He ignored it, and drummed his fingers on the steering wheel for a long time. "And if I win, I can hand over the location to SHIELD?"

"No repercussions, boy." The voice was deep and silky and gloriously male once again.

"But what about you?" Tony said. Large hazel eyes turned on the god, full of defiance and fear.

Loki smiled. "Perhaps a heads up? Unless you wish me to be captured?"

"That's the last thing I want." Tony closed his eyes and stepped out of the car. "Okay. Eight minutes."

"Time starts when your ass is on the bed, boy."

Tony and Loki stepped into the elevator. It rose in silence. Loki's eyes were fixed on the ceiling. Tony was staring at his own reflection in the glass. He was tired and worn through. He doubted very much that Loki was going to get anything out of him at this point. He was barely standing.

"Sunglasses. Off. We're inside, Tony," Loki sighed like a tired parent. "I honestly fail to see the point."

"This coming from the guy," Tony said slowly and pointedly, not looking at him, "who wears a helmet with _gold horns_."

The doors opened and they stepped through. Tony made his way to the bed, flopping down and watched Loki walk past him, searching the bathroom for the KY Jelly. Once located, he stepped over to Tony, a long fingered hand reaching down and pulling the glasses from his face. Tony smiled.

"Tony Stark hides his eyes from the world, because his eyes betray him for the boy he is. Big, beautiful, puppy eyes. Alright my love, wear your sunglasses for the world. But with me, those eyes are mine and I never wish them to be hidden."

"Okay," Tony said and suddenly realised how small and young his voice had sounded.

"Move back. Against the headboard."

Tony complied. Loki took some time pulling Tony's shoes off and then pulling his trousers off. He untied Tony's tie and used it to bind his hands. "Shall we start?" Loki asked. He fingered the buttons of Tony's shirt seductively.

Tony smiled. "Jarvis, let's get the stopwatch out. Call time at eight minutes."

"Yes sir. Starting now."

"You don't trust me?" Loki asked, hurt tones ringing in every syllable. His eyes were dancing with delight however.

"Not for a moment."

Loki tsked. He poured out a dollop of jelly onto his fingers and prepared Tony with long, stretching strokes. Two fingers were pushed in immediately and Tony sighed at the tight stretch.

It felt good, it felt wonderful, but simple biology was against Loki. Tony just couldn't. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the sensation though. Lips feathered along his neck.

"I love that," Tony muttered.

"Good."

"I love this," he added huskily, looking at Loki seriously. "I love everything about this."

_I love that, I love this. You're skirting around actually saying what you're trying to say._

_Coward._

"It will never end."

"Promise?" Tony said, and was angry to hear the crack in his voice. He wanted to be strong, to be Tony Stark. He didn't want to ask to be happy. He wanted to demand it.

"I won't leave you. And I won't let this end. Tony, perhaps I haven't made myself clear. In the centuries to come, you will sway, I have no doubt, from wanting me, to hating me, to trying to flee, to crawling to me on your knees. It makes no difference. Whether you want me or hate me, this will only end when I die." Loki pushed harder and a thumb joined the four fingers. Tony was being stretched further than he had ever been previously.

"Oh fuck!" he hissed. A hand slapped his face hard, then rubbed the stinging flesh gently.

"Tony," purred Loki. He slapped him again and again, then stroked the abused cheek. "Just concentrate on my voice." Slap. "It's just you and I." Slap. "And there is no one coming to save you." Slap. "Give in because you have no other choice." The hand pulled out and was replaced almost seamlessly by a cock.

Tony moaned and wrapped his legs around Loki, holding him close. Loki pulled out the belt from Tony's trousers, dropping the fabric back onto the floor. Tony thought he knew what was going to happen. But he was a fool to ever believe he knew what the God of Mischief was thinking.

Instead of the beating, the belt was passed around his neck and the buckle was pulled against his throat.

Tight. Tighter. Too tight. Tony's eyes grew wider as he began to panic. He struggled, but it was useless and all it did was shift the cock up against his prostate. He choked and bucked up against Loki as his nerve endings flared in pleasure.

"Don't panic, Tony. You know- listen to me! You know that I would never, could never kill my boy_. I love you_, Tony. I need you to relax."

Tony wanted to trust him. On some level did trust him, but instinct was taking over. He couldn't breathe. His lungs were burning. He bucked and squirmed and mewled, thrusting his body against Loki.

"That's it, boy. A little more."

On the very edge of passing out, the belt loosened briefly and Tony managed to suck in a desperate breath in before his airway was closed again.

"You're doing so well, boy. Just a little more."

Tony arched and strained and fought, his body failing on the bed, his legs kicking out against the air, constantly moving on the cock buried in his body. His vision was darkening around the corners, his gaze focusing in alarm at the god holding his life in his hands.

Tony felt his body thrum with frightened energy. Adrenaline was rushing through him. He had sudden, horrible flash backs to his torture in Afghanistan. But it was Loki. Loki. Loki who was going to play and torture and twist him into something Tony both wanted and despised, but Loki wasn't going to kill him. Tony believed it. He bucked, his hips rocking against the cock and felt his body more intensely than he had ever done before.

Then the belt was released for the last time. Tony gasped and panted, his vision clearing as he gulped down oxygen. Loki reached down and caressed the hard cock gently.

"That's a good boy," Loki breathed, lust heavy in his voice.

"Eight minutes, sir," Jarvis said.

Tony blinked, finally pulling himself together as he looked down. Loki was gently fondling Tony's solid cock, playfully running his fingers over the head, already slippery with precum. Tony looked back up in giddy amazement and met Loki's green eyes.

The god was smiling gently, fondly, his eyes fixed on Tony's. The hand let go of the belt to glide through Tony's hair, pushing the fringe back. "Such a good boy, Tony. I knew you wouldn't disappoint me."

The approval, as insane as it was in this situation, was like a warm sun in his chest, growing and filling him. _Approval_. Tony Stark did not get approval, not from his father, his lovers or his friends. Because Tony Stark didn't want approval. Because Tony Stark was a powerhouse and hero and a cocky son of a bitch.

He looked away, blinking hard to stop rising emotions in his throat. "Stop it," he snapped gruffly.

"It's alright, my love. There are some places inside you that I will not attempt to force my way into. Not yet. But one day, I will own and dominate every part of your heart and soul. Wall up those secret parts of your soul if you wish. But you are hard, and I have won. And in the not too distant future, I will claim my prize. For now, we will spend the night making love. I will untie your hands, but tell me, do you wish me to remove the belt?"

Tony shifted, feeling Loki's hard length bump up against his prostate again. "No," he murmured. "Leave it on."


	26. Chapter 26: Insight

Tony woke the next morning to the sound of a tapping boot. He opened his eyes blearily. He saw black leather… a heeled boot, tapping the floor impatiently. He jerked awake as his brain finally supplied his body with the information.

"Fucking hell, Natasha! Don't you ever knock?" His eyes darted around the room as he pulled himself up. No sign of Loki anywhere. He looked back at the redhead and then looked down. The bed sheet only half covered him. Ordinarily this wouldn't have bothered him. But he was very conscious of the ghost of Loki still clinging to the bed. "This couldn't have waited?"

"Your new girlfriend wasn't around when I got here. She must have disappeared in the early hours. It must be nice that you two share something in common."

_Damn. Not awake enough to deal with this._

"New what?"

"It's all over the papers, Tony. An engineer employed by Hammer Industries? Do you really think that's a good idea?"

"What?" Tony's mind wasn't catching up as fast as he should. Loki had worked him over pretty thoroughly last night.

"If you're doing this just to rub Hammer's face in it, that's not a good idea. She's hot, though. I can see how she'd be your type."

Hot. Cold. So much sex. Tony's smiled like the cat that got the cream. He was awake now, pulling himself together. "What have I done now to earn a ticking off this early?"

"It's noon."

"I was busy last night," Tony yawned, rubbing his eyes. "Very."

Natasha pulled a face. "I'm… delighted," she said, sarcasm dripping from her tones. "And we're late because of it. The Avenger's publicity event, remember? Get up, get into the shower and let's go."

"Did I mention just how busy I was last night?" Tony said, smiling in genuine satisfaction. "Very busy. All night."

"You're having a pretty good time with this woman, aren't you?" Natasha said blandly. "Certainly explains why you've been acting so out of character lately."

"Takes a hell of a person to keep me that busy."

Natasha exclaimed something in Russian with an air of disgust and threw his trousers at him. "Get up, get dressed. We've got to go. And try to stop being so happy."

"You and Barton not exactly rocking it out then?"

"Get out of the bed, Tony Stark, before I break your arms."

Natasha practically dragged him to the latest Avenger publicity event. Yet another in a long line of events. The problem was, as the problem always was, is that change is bad. Tony had experienced this little human prejudice early on in his life. Innovators often do. People say they want change, but really, what they want is today to be pretty much the same as yesterday. And a band of superhuman heroes saving the day was a quite a new thing to wrap your head around. Sounded like something you'd read in a comic book, but it was real.

So dozens of events and conferences had been held in the public sphere. Today, the press conference was on top of a skyscraper in New York, owned by Tony, obviously. Having the resources of a billionaire was something SHIELD never hesitated in exploiting.

It was the usual thing, Iron Man and Captain America in their full suits, assuring the world's media that they were a force for good, peace, love and all things fluffy.

Steve was professional and military for the cameras, appealing to the older generations and the soldiers. Tony was Tony and the entire world crooned for him. As usual. His eyes searched the crowds but without any conviction. Loki wouldn't appear here of all places. Not with the sharp eyed Natasha in the wings.

Tony waved at the crowds with a smile as the aforementioned Russian walked up to him. "Smile, Red, you're on TV."

Natasha smiled and waved absently. Since the invasion, her face had been so publicised that she couldn't exactly go under cover now. Tony suspected she was quite bitter about that, given she was a spy by nature. Now she was condemned to face the media like the rest of them.

She leaned slightly into Tony and said, "Tony, I do still have to talk to you. About Lockley."

Tony felt his pulse quicken, but muttered back, "Okay."

"Her background check raised a few flags."

Tony had to keep his face smiling for the cameras but inside, he was writhing angrily. "What the hell are you doing checking up on the people I sleep with?"

Steve finished his inspirational talk, to which Tony hadn't paid a blind bit of notice and all three Avengers left the platform while their official head of public relations took over questions. Tony and Natasha walked to the furthest end of the roof, away from the crowd of flashing cameras and microphones.

"Tony we don't do background checks on the people you sleep with. There aren't enough hours in the day. But when they become serious-"

"Whoa there ninja. Who says she's serious?"

"You do. You've changed since being with her. You're doing what you can to keep her. Unlike when you were with Pepper and you just expected her to fall in line with your whims."

"No I'm not."

"When was your last joyride? In your car or suit? When was your last blow up at Stark Industries? When was your last drink? Even with Pepper you'd have your moments of puerile insanity. Not now. Only when Lockley dumps you do you go crazy. Otherwise, you're actually finally beginning to settle down."

"Don't check up my private life," Tony snapped, walking away, heat rising in his face. Embarrassment and anger.

_She's right. Loki's tamed you._

Natasha followed unrelenting, "Parts of her history are blank. Other areas have too much detail."

_Trust fucking Hammer to fuck up something as simple as a false fucking identity._

Natasha was still talking. "Tony, I've seen background checks like this before - it's the calling card of a spy."

"You think Lockley is a spy?"

"Is it possible?"

"No," Tony said, firmly and finally.

"I'd like to meet her."

"No!" Tony snapped again. _Fuck no!_

"She's worked her way into your life and..." Natasha paused, sighed pulled him round to face her. "When I was sent undercover to become your PA, I didn't use hypnosis or telepathy to get you to hire me. I presented what you wanted - a sexy woman in tight clothes who you could wave in front of Pepper to make her jealous and possessive of you."

Tony stared ahead, trying to ignore her. Occasionally he'd turn and give a half wave to the crowd. Steve was off in a further corner, watching them carefully. Those large, observational blue eyes were fixed on Tony with an almost wary air. With a stab of annoyance, Tony realised Steve knew exactly what was going on here and was probably in on it.

"When I became Pepper's PA, I wore pant suits and my hair back. I became official. Pepper's clone."

"Doesn't that just make you a manipulative bitch?"

"Now you suddenly have a woman in your life as intelligent as you-"

"Hardly."

"As arrogant as you, as high maintenance as you, and it's somehow working. And if this is real then I couldn't be happier for you Tony." She sighed with a shrug. "But they don't pay me to hope for the best."

_She's getting way too close. She's getting way too deep. Fuck this. Fuck her._

"Does it bug you that Fury brought me into SHIELD despite your recommendation?" Tony sneered.

"I was wrong."

"What?"

"I was wrong, Tony. You've proven you can be part of the Avengers. A valuable part."

"I'm sorry, you were what?"

"I'm not wrong about this," she said seriously. "Something's not right about Lockley. Whether she's with you on Hammers orders or Doom's or Loki's, she's here for a reason. I've looked at the evidence; you're both too happy for this to be real. It doesn't make sense."

"Wait," Tony said, anger rising to an even greater degree at her arrogant, self-assured tone. "You're saying this isn't real… _because I'm happy_?"

"I'm sorry Tony, but people like you..." She sighed slightly. "People like _us _are never happy."

"That's your problem," Tony said, leaving his visor up but locking on his helmet now. "But you know what, you're probably right. And if this is all fake then she'll leave and I'll be miserable. And if this is real, I'll find some way to fuck it up, she'll leave and I'll be miserable." He flipped the visor down. The mechanical voice now said, "So either way, Red, you'll get what you want - a Tony as fucking hollow as you are."

Tony leapt off the roof of the skyscraper, vaulting up into the clear sky to the crowd's cheers.

xxx

"Tony," sang a voice.

Hours later, all safe and tucked up back in his lab, away from fucking Natasha and her insight, Tony looked up from his light pad at the soothing voice. Loki was waltzing over like the happiest guy in the world. It was such a contradiction to Tony's current monotonous mood that it served to pull himself out of himself somewhat.

Tony raised an eyebrow. He had only asked Jarvis for the time a minute ago and it had just gone midday. He should tell Loki about Natasha… he was curiously reluctant to. Instead he said, "Little early, isn't it?"

"I have a little gift for you, boy." Loki pressed a palm sized golden tube into his hand.

Tony stared at it. It was the size of his fist with gold intricate patterns in raised embossing covering it and it rounded closed at both ends. Maybe the best description was comparing it to a fancy but small gold baton.

He glanced up at Loki. "Gee, you shouldn't have." Tony turned back to the screen, turning his back deliberately on the god.

"You asked for a way of communicating with me."

Tony dropped his light pad hurriedly and refocused his attention back on the tube. But there wasn't much more to see. "I was thinking a phone."

"Tony, what would I do with a phone?"

"Oh I don't know. You could call me."

"This is better," Loki purred.

"You can play Solitaire."

The strong pale hand closed over Tony's own, wrapping his fingers around the tube. "Think of me, Tony."

"You can surf the web on a phone."

_Think of Loki. Not exactly a difficult thing to do, is it? Most of the time, you have to force yourself to stop thinking of him._

"This is so stupid. _I'll _get you an iPhone if you're too cheap-" he flinched slightly as the tube glowed with a purplish green light. "Okay. Well that's weird."

From an inside pocket, Loki produced an identical tube, but this one shimmered in a smoky red. "And now I know that you are in need of me."

"A bit primitive. No bells or whistles. In a word, boring." Tony examined it, trying to suss out how it worked. Presumably, it had some sort of radioactive core which emitted energy when triggered by the heat of his hand-

"It's magic, Tony. Don't strain yourself trying to discover its secrets. I do hate it when you think too hard."

"Whatever," Tony muttered, brushing him off. "And when you need me, does it glow the same colour? Or red?"

"Tony, if I want you, I take you. I have no need to summon. If I want you, you'll know by my cock in your ass."

He rolled his eyes at Loki's tone. "Someone's in a mood." Tony taunted darkly. He was about to put the tube into his pocket when Loki grasped his wrist in a powerful and warning grip.

"Do not use this to play with me, boy, or I will turn nasty."

"You'll _turn _nasty?" Tony asked incredulously. "You're not now?"

"Of course not," Loki said in an almost casual tone. "Why do you think your friends are still alive?"

Tony glared at Loki's back as the man walked away and shoved the tube into his pocket. "Fucking drama queen," he muttered, picking up his console and trying to lose himself in the designs for a new and improved suit.

Loki was gazing at the glass cases holding his previous models. He tapped the glass.

"Hands off, Mr Freeze."

"Thor has a room of armour such as this. To display his heroism... and show off to his fawning admirers."

Tony didn't answer, his eyes flickering between Loki and the revolving wire image of the Mark VIII. He opened the chest of the image up and ran his eyes over the components as there had been a reoccurring fault there in the simulations. It tended to allow too much power from the arc reactor though at any one time, creating intense surges through the plates of the main body.

"He once fucked a girl against the case."

Though Tony hadn't exactly been listening, enough of the words had filtered into his brain and caused it to go haywire. "What?" he said alarmed.

Loki glared, knowing he had caught Tony out. "I don't like being ignored Tony. When I am in the room, I demand your full attention."

Tony blinked. "So... Thor _didn't_ fuck a girl up against-"

"Did I not just say he did? One wonders if he was looking at the girl, or at the armour," Loki said snidely.

Thor's heavy, muscular frame pressing a girl against a hard wall, holding her up by a leg, pounding and grunting and-

_Fuck! Let's not go there._

Tony shook his head, trying to shake the image out. So far Tony had been surviving this particular concern by convincing himself that he wasn't, in point of fact, gay. Or bi. Loki didn't count because he wasn't human.

It was a truth as stable as a house of cards and if he started picturing that, it was going to tumble very quickly.

_Thor's not human either so it's okay to imagine._

_No that's not as helpful a thought as you might like to think it is, Tony._

Tony put the light pad down on the table. "You know, you act like you still hate him, but I don't believe you. Not anymore. I think you miss being his brother."

"Boy, if you want to be beaten then all you need do is ask. You do not have to try to make me angry."

He opened his mouth to argue, but closed it.

_No, I'm not a coward. I just don't want to have this argument right now._

Tony walked slowly over to Loki, who was looking intently at the Mark IV. He pressed his lips into Loki's neck. "If I didn't say, thanks for the tube thing. Just what I needed to fix that short leg on the chair."

Loki laughed with a roll of his eyes. "You just beg for punishment."

"Maybe."

Loki's fingers closed around Tony's neck and pushed him into the glass. Tony relaxed into it. They both knew, the second Loki had mentioned it, that it was going to happen. And happen hard.

One had holding his neck powerfully against the glass case, Loki lowered his other hand to brush lightly over and over Tony's crotch. Tony blinked, breathing steadily against the slight pressure on his throat, watching Loki. The hand began to rub against him harder and he whimpered as he felt the beginnings of his erection.

They stayed like that, frozen in time, Loki's hand varying pressures against his crotch until Tony was unmistakably ready. He winced as the tight tenting became very uncomfortable.

Loki leaned in to nip and suck Tony's tongue. Tony pushed against the god's chest vaguely, almost considering the prospect of fighting, but every time would let his arms drop in submission.

Once Tony was squirming against his god, his erection begging to be freed, Loki pulled back. His were eyes closed and he was blissfully licking his lips, enjoying Tony's taste. It made Tony's cock give a particularly strong throb as he watched the apparent joy in Loki's face.

Hazy green eyes opened and stared into Tony's very being. "Take them off."

Tony had never obeyed an order faster in his life. His trousers fell to the floor and he stumbled out of them.

"All of it."

Tony stood, shivering, naked and submissive in his own lab. And this _would be_ when Loki had to start playing his mind games. The man just stood there, waiting for... what? Tony shuddered. He began to sink to his knees, but an arm stopped him.

_Okay. Not that._

He tried to turn, but again was stopped.

He looked up through his fringe with an innocent, cheeky smile. "I'm running out of ideas here, Loki."

"You could try asking."

"What do you want me to do?" Tony asked plaintively.

"Ask me for what you want."

_I would rather die._

_Really?_

_Okay. I would rather sit through a thousand, thousand honour and duty speeches from Steve._

Tony stood still. Silent. But Loki stood before him like a powerhouse. Like he had all the time in the world. Tony quaked under the gaze and tried to walk away, but again, a powerful arm pushed him back against the glass.

"For fucks sake, Loki," Tony snapped, but without any conviction.

He shook again. It wasn't cold in the lab, but his body wouldn't stop trembling. It felt like nervous energy. There was a bitter taste in his mouth. He wanted to fight, to swing a fist, to run, but nothing seemed to be working.

"I'm leaving," he said. This time, he was grabbed and thrown back harder. His head banged against the glass. "Fuck you!"

Loki stood, impassive.

"Fuck you, you prick!"

Nothing.

"Loki, come on. Please." Tony rubbed eyes tiredly. "Loki, please."

Tony's eyes widened and his heart beat faster as Loki's clothes shimmered and he stood naked before his little pet. Tony's mind fought hard not to, but his eyes were dragging down of their own accord. A whimper sounded in his throat when he saw how hard the god was.

His eyes snapped up onto the green ones in front of him. "Please fuck me."

"Your language is not appropriate, try again."

Tony growled. "Please... take your boy."

"Take him where?"

"Loki, I'm sick of playing these games."

Loki's hand reached out and grabbed Tony's cock in an exciting but altogether too firm a grip. Tony whimpered, fighting the urge to knock the unforgiving hand away.

"_This_ suggests otherwise. This," Tony yelped at another too hard squeeze, "is why I prefer to keep you nude. Your body is more honest than your mouth will ever be. So try again."

_Fuck you, get out of my head._ Tony shivered. Loki had to be telepathic on top of everything else. He always seemed to know what he was thinking.

Tony found he was panting. He was getting dizzy.

_Just tell him what he wants, you don't have to mean it!_

"Pl-" Tony shook his head. "Why the fuck do you have to mess with me?"

"Because it's fun."

_Touché._

"Because you want me to."

_Okay, this isn't difficult. Just say it._

"Please take your boy in his ass," Tony mumbled. His cock twitched in Loki's grip.

The god smiled at Tony wickedly as he registered the reaction. "Pretty boy," Loki corrected.

Again Tony's body showed Loki without words exactly how Tony felt about that description.

Tony's mouth lied. "Go to hell."

"You'll never get what you want unless you learn to ask."

Tony had never asked for anything in his life. He had _demanded_. "I swear, one day I'm going to kill you - Thor's psycho brother or not."

"Yes my dear, and in the mean time?"

"Please take your pre-" the word got caught in his throat. "Please take your petty boy. In his ass. Against the wall. Hard. Please."

Loki pulled Tony around and slammed him against the glass case. "With pleasure, little one," he purred.

Tony ground his hips back as a slick, oiled finger prepared the way. Loki's other hand stroked the scarring on his back and Tony almost found that as pleasurable as the stretching. "Tell me how you want it."

"Hard. Fast. Dirty," Tony slurred.

"What do we say?"

"Please."

"Good boy," Loki breathed.

Tony shivered as he felt Loki stepping in, felt the warm chest against his back and the soft hands stroking his hips and waist. "Please," Tony whined as the pause went on for too long.

"Hush now, patience. You have prayed to your god like a good little worshiper and you will receive. But don't pretend that your involvement extends beyond that."

Tony growled. "Do you even care that I'm here? Because there's plenty of blow-up dolls you could-" Tony yelped loudly as Loki slammed his head into the glass.

Tony swore and screamed though gritted teeth as it was followed by a punch to his back that knocked his kidney into his stomach. The pain was blinding and knocked any thought out of his head apart from Loki and the hurt. He might have fallen to his knees if he didn't force himself to stay upright out of sheer livid rage.

"You son of a-"

A white hand covered his mouth briefly, cutting of the tirade for Loki to speak into his ear. "I do not ever want to hear you say that again," Loki said calmly, softly, but with an authority that countenanced no disobedience. "Tony, listen to me now. You will never say that ever again. Do you understand?"

The hand was drawn away.

Tony felt his insides squirming hotly, cringing ashamedly. "But you," he muttered, but was cut off.

"Don't you dare make excuses for such a sin. I'm not angry, I'm disappointed. I will not punish you for it if you admit your mistake and apologise. You will never say such a terrible thing again. Now to you understand?"

"Yes," he mumbled.

Loki's hand patting him, stroking him like a pet and the agony evaporating quickly under the gentle ministrations.

"Sorry," he muttered. He couldn't believe he said it, but he did.

_Yeah, sorry my kidney got in the way of your fist! Dickhead!_

A finger wormed back inside, stroking and pressing deep. "It's okay, my love. You're a good boy really. You just have your moments of petulance. We have centuries to correct it. Now tell me what you are."

Tony felt his cock pulsing, all kinds of happy as Loki fed this need in him to be... to be loved. Even if it was in such a twisted way.

Tony had challenged Loki to admit that he was nothing more than a toy to the god and the god hadn't simply denied it in a half-hearted way. He had shown Tony how insulting he had found the suggestion. It made Tony happy in such a dark way. He was the focus of Loki's entire attentions and that's always what Tony demanded.

Lust was clouding his mind now, pulling him away from his anger and disgust with himself. This was the stage Tony secretly coveted - when Loki had worked him up into such a state that he'd do anything to gain release. "I'm your good boy," he muttered thickly.

He rocked his hips back and forth. Loki stood, his hand still, letting Tony impale himself, sliding on and off the finger. Tony crooned as he pushed back and found that a second finger had joined.

"Tell me what you are."

"I'm a good boy," Tony said, all hesitation gone. "Your good boy."

"And what do you want?"

"I want my god to take my ass."

"How?"

"Rough, hard, please."

"Where?"

Tony gasped as he found he was suddenly forcing in four fingers. "Right here."

Loki kissed Tony's shoulders for a little while as Tony worked his hips, then the sudden absence of the fingers indicated the foreplay was over.

Long, hard, merciless, Tony whimpered as Loki pushed and came to rest buried deep inside. Tony could feel the cock flexing inside of him as Loki took a moment to emphasize his control.

Tony's face was pressed against the glass. Where he was standing, his arc reactor reflected off the surface and lit up the circle in the chest of the armour in front of him. It was almost as though the suit was alive without him. He blinked, gazing intensely at the lifeless mask of the Iron Man.

Lifeless, but somehow looking bizarrely accusing.

_Hey come on! I can't be a hero all the time._

Loki moved his hips from side to side and Tony's head flew back in a guttural groan as he was stretched. Loki just grabbed his hair and pushed his face back into the glass.

Tony braced himself against the case. Clearly deciding that was enough of the gentle stuff, one hand tight in Tony's hair, the other one grabbing his left arm, Loki just let go of his restraint and pounded Tony hard.

Tony yelped and groaned and swore for the first few thrusts, trying to get into the right mind-set. Then he relaxed, bracing himself against the glass and staring at the mask. His eyelids fluttered as his cock screamed out for release and his toes curled pleasurably. He was huffing, panting, keening. His breath was hot, misting the glass.

"Yes, yes, yes," Tony whispered. It was too intense to yell. "Oh Loki, oh please, yes, oh god."

Loki moved in closer, burying his face into Tony's hair. "I love you, Tony. You know I do. So tight and hot and sweet. You're mine, aren't you? I'm using my boy, my boy. I could never want anything like I want you."

Tony groaned, humping his hips back fast. "Pl-please keep t-talking!"

"Shh, relax. You know I'll make you cum. But you'll cum when I am ready for you to and on my terms. Stop moving. I said stop! Good boy. See? Gone is the mad rush, the frantic panic to orgasm because you know. You know that I will take care of that for you. You will cum under my care and all you have to do is wait. Don't you see how wonderful your life will be? With me? You will not even have control over your own orgasms, you will trust me to know when and how you climax. Shh, don't shiver so. This is what you want, isn't it? To be taken care of. So that you might forever be the precious, pernicious little boy. Relax. Focus on your breathing. We are going to cum together but not before time. It will be so good, Tony. You'll thank me for taking away your control."

"Yes, yes, yes!"

"I'm always so glad when you agree," Loki said with a nasty, devious little smile. When Tony was sober (sober here defined as not drunk on Loki) it was the kind of expression that made him want to throw a fist. Now it just made him giddy and weak.

_Drunk on Loki. _That's totally what he was. He was drunk on Loki.

"You're going to break me," Tony complained piteously.

"No I'm not."

"I'm g-going to collapse."

"Then I'll hold you up."

"It's too much."

"You'll cope." Loki paused. "Any other excuses you'd like to expound? Honestly Tony, I have never known any other make such a fuss as you. Just give in and let me play."

Loki tipped his hips and found another spot to pound. Tony's mind went out of focus and light like when he downed a bottle of whisky with a few mugs of beer as a chaser. His hand banged against the glass as he reached higher, scrabbling for something to hold.

The stretched position allowed Loki's hand come round, under Tony's arm and play with a nipple gently, then roughly. Tony's face, already fraught and contorted in pain and bliss took on a new edge of joy.

"Play," Tony repeated dully, the word circling in his fuzzy head until it finally took root and grew. "Play with me."

There was a tender kiss on his neck. "Always."

He babbled vaguely. How the fuck had he not come yet? His cock was bobbing furiously in the air, pulsing and throbbing. Tony whined in a long cry. Loki had gone silent for a few minutes, but as he began to speak again, Tony's heart leapt in elation.

"Sh, boy. Concentrate on breathing. Such a noisy little creature! I'm close now. We are going to cum together."

"Yes! Yes please! Yes!"

Loki pounded hard. "Would you rather be here with Thor?" Loki hissed in his ear.

Tony's surprise was only countered by his desperate need. He shook his head violently. "No, no, no!"

"Tell me!" Loki hissed, even more vehemently.

_Fuck. And I thought I had issues._

"I want you! I need you, Loki! I'll never want him!"

"Because you are mine," Loki whined.

_God, he sounds like he's pleading._

"I'll never want Thor because I'm yours, just yours! Only ever yours!"

"Stroke yourself," Loki panted.

Tony's hand grabbed himself and having spent too long unattended the touch felt electric.

_Fuck! He's right! He knows how to make me feel like this. He knows better than I do how to make me feel like this!_

"Cum, boy," he gasped. "Cum now!"

Tony choked on a yell as he climaxed. The sound ended in a crying sob as his body seemed to turn itself inside out. He had never felt such a contraction in his body like that before. At the same moment his orgasm had rushed though him he had felt Loki cum inside of him. Tony's own splattering against the glass case of the Mark VI Iron Man. Which was exactly what Loki had been intending, of course.

He looked up blearily at the face of the suit, looking at the Iron Man detached from his body. And for the first time, Tony felt like he was separated from that world. It was like he was seeing it like this for the first time – the suit wasn't part of him, it was just something he wore.

_I actually don't think I need you anymore._

Tony hated himself for days and days after for thinking that.

He slid to the floor as his knees finally gave way and found himself huddled at Loki's boots. The guy was already clothed, looking completely composed. It only served to make Tony seem weaker.

Loki picked up him and threw him over a shoulder. Tony didn't have the strength or energy to object.

"I don't want to be Thor's," Tony muttered thickly.

"Good. I would kill you before allowing you to be his."

Tony gazed into the green eyes. The insane god was completely serious. _That's some scary shit._

He realised his whole body was faintly shaking, his muscles objecting to the afternoons events. "Thor's not good enough to be evil."

Loki's kisses and pets paused suddenly. He gave a quiet, happy little laugh. "My amazing little boy. I am so happy you're finally beginning to understand.

xxx

"Natasha wants to interview Lockley."

"Hush and concentrate."

"I can do both, this isn't rocket science. And I should know."

"I demand your full attention, boy."

Tony gritted his teeth angrily and returned to dragging the sponge over Loki's shoulders and neck. Tony tended to find this happened post orgasm. His head would be so fuzzy that Loki could convince him into anything and when he finally came to, he'd find himself in the middle of a game he would never have agreed to sober.

The sponge moved down to stroke the slender and muscular chest in small circles. Foamy soap smelt of lavender in the bathroom. Not one of Tony's which was something he was very fast to point out. Something Pepper had left behind. Just a little bit expanded with the water making a foamy lather with which Tony was now bathing Loki.

_Fuck._

_Come with me to the shower, he said. Practically dragged me in here and put the soap and sponge in my hands. Wash me, he said. And I just like that I was pouring out the soap like a good little boy._

_Fuck._

"Natasha's like a dog with a bone. She's not going to give up on this."

"Shh."

Tony watched his hand move to the strong arms, stroking the sponge down. The figure of an Asgardian god, the muscles so well defined Tony could name them. Deltoid, biceps, triceps, brachialis... Tony swallowed unconsciously. It was intimidating, washing the arms that had held and restrained him so many times. This was a submissive act. It was like he was thanking this body in front of him for what it had done to him.

He moved to the other arm. Loki was staying still and quiet, his eyes focused on Tony with an almost frightening intensity.

Tony moved round Loki to start on his back. Trapezius muscle, latissimus dorsi, oblique muscle… Tony had to learn this all when he was building his suit. To design solid metal to fit something as flexible as the human form, biology had been a must.

But when he was designing the Iron Man he didn't know that one day he'd be thinking of all these terms naked in a shower bathing his god.

Tony grabbed the shower head and washed off the soap. "Okay," he muttered quietly.

Loki looked at him penetratingly, shook his head slightly and grabbed Tony's shoulder. With inhuman force, he pushed down, forcing Tony to sink to his knees. Exactly what Tony wanted to avoid.

He sighed, slightly frustrated, and raised the sponge to Loki's legs. He started down by the calves, wiping and running it up and down the tight skin. Flexor digitorum longus tendon. Plantaris tendon. Gastrocnemius muscle. He moved up slowly, trying to avoid the inevitable.

When he reached... that area, he brushed the sponge over quickly and moved on, heat rising in his face. Fuck. Despite everything Loki had done to him, how was this of all things embarrassing?

Tony stood, a little like he was in a dream and finished washing Loki down with the shower head. Okay, it had been a little rushed and not as complete as the top. But to Tony's surprise Loki was happy to leave it there.

"Turn round, boy."

Tony turned and found that the sponge was wrested from his hand. Ah. Tony suddenly realised where Loki's real interest in this event lay. Loki started on Tony's back, shoulders and the neck and was gliding it over and over his skin. It was an even more forensic examination than Tony's care had been.

The material was tracing the intricate muscles around his upper back when Loki spoke. "I have no intention of speaking with the woman. She is, as you say, persistent. I have no desire to be found out at this stage."

"Then how-"

"Do not speak."

"I don't think you quite get how a conversation works."

"If you speak, I shall stop," Loki said simply.

Tony bit his tongue. There was a pause as Loki gathered up more soap. He was using far more than Tony had and the smell of lavender (_manly_ lavender, of course) filled the shower. The sponge left his back to be replaced by hands kneading the muscles in his lower back. Tony moaned wholeheartedly.

Loki was crouched behind him. The sponge smoothed delicately over his cheeks but didn't linger. Instead, Loki spent far more time on Tony's legs than Tony had done on Loki's. The sponge was like an extension of the god's fingers, he moved it so skilfully. And again, there was a brief moment when the sponge left to be replaced by a massaging stroke on his thighs.

Tony cursed himself as he trembled feeling Loki's breath on his groin, but the god stood and began on Tony's front. He wiped the hollow space beneath his throat then spent a long time gliding over and over his chest and stomach, being very careful to avoid getting too close to the reactor. Instead, he lingered over the small buds, rubbing back and forward until Tony's senses were alive with the warmth of the water, the smell of flowers and the stimulation to his body.

He looked up at Loki, staring at him through a haze of wanting.

Loki returned the gaze with a small smile, before turning to his arms. He covered them in soap, reaching out to knead muscle once more. Tony groaned softly.

"Raise your arms," he commanded.

Tony hesitated for a moment, before complying a little grudgingly. He lifted his arms and Loki smoothed the soap into this armpits. Contrary to logic, it was far more intimate than everything else. Tony had washed Loki as a form of foreplay. It was more the act of undivided attention than the washing.

Not for Loki. Loki was getting off on the act of looking after his boy and all his needs. And that included a clinical, if intimate washing.

"Turn."

"That's enough," Tony muttered anxiously.

Loki's eyes flashed a warning. "Turn."

Tony turned, hanging his head slightly. Loki dropped back down and patted inside of Tony's legs. Tony shuddered, swallowed, and moved his legs further apart. Loki reached up, running the material over and over his ass. It ran down, slowly pressing deeper and deeper between the cheeks.

Tony's face burned with the embarrassment, and he clasped and unclasped his fists, containing his thoughts. But Loki didn't draw it out. Once he had given two or three thorough wipes, he stood. He discarded the sponge and instead used his hands with the shower head to wash away the lather left on Tony's body.

Tony closed his eyes as the water poured into his hair and Loki's hands, covered in shampoo, ran fingers into his hair. He pressed and stroked against Tony's skull and somehow managed to empty Tony's head of everything but sensation. His neck muscles were relaxing, his shoulders were slumping as his body gave into the care.

Then the shampoo was rinsed out. A hand ran down his back, crept around his stomach and grasped his erection in a firm but tender grip. "You're hard, boy."

Tony nodded mutely.

"Come back to the bedroom and I shall take care of it."

Tony followed the naked back of Loki back into the bedroom. He stood where Loki pointed and let his top half be pushed down onto the bed while his legs remained on the floor. Bent over and willing. He waited patiently as Loki searched for lubricant.

_Well trained little whore. That's what you've become. I can't believe he's twisted and bent me into this, this pitiful excuse for a-_

"Relax, Tony," Loki breathed.

Tony's body relaxed immediately on command, that inner voice of anger suddenly seeming so less important. "I need you," Tony whimpered.

"Hush, I'm here."

Tony felt the fingers preparing him delicately, not pushing or stretching too hard or too fast. It was enough to make his hips squirm back desperately. "Feels so good," he groaned.

Loki took a great deal of care this time, lubricating Tony, stretching him slowly, pouring oil over his own cock so by the time he pressed in, it was so smooth and so well prepared, Loki seemed to just slide into place.

Tony gave a deep, throaty groan of pleasure.

"Again," Loki whispered in almost a plea. He pulled back and sank in again.

Again a deep, throaty groan of pleasure thrummed through Tony's body. "Loki!" he gasped. "Loki!"

"Do you think you will be able to control yourself?" Loki asked, withdrawing and pushing back in again, even more slowly.

Tony shook his head with a miserable laugh. "Honestly, no. No I don't think I will."

"I understand," Loki said soothingly, patting Tony's ass as the boy felt chains wrapping around his ankles, pulling his legs further apart and binding them. Chain round his wrists pulled his body forward until he was spread out, everything waist up tied over the bed, everything hips down over the bed and secured to the floor.

Loki pressed in deep and leaned forward, using the oil to massage his back. Tony whimpered piteously and tried to grind his hips back. Loki was going to draw this out and force him into insanity. He huffed and groaned and whined, but Loki was far too intent on exploring his boy's hot and trembling body splayed out before him.

"Loki," Tony pleaded.

"Hush."

Loki waited a long time before beginning and then it was only a gentle thrust. It was barely even sex and it certain wasn't the rutting Tony needed. Tony panted and squirmed desperately, working himself up into a frenzy, trying to get Loki to take him.

But the god just eased back and forth, waiting until Tony finally gave in, slumping in his position with gasps and little sobs. "Please!" Tony wailed.

Loki was silent, watching the distress with gentle eyes. Tony begged and writhed for a while longer before finally giving up. His cock was throbbing, his body was pulsing, his head was spinning. And all the while the long, thick rod inside of him glided in and out so slowly as to barely be moving at all.

Tears made his eyes hot as he lay, trembling, waiting.

Loki crawled forward over Tony's back, his cock pressing in deeper, his arms coming up to hold him. "I love you, Tony," Loki breathed. "The Avengers will not be playing a part in our relationship."

Then he was pounding, thrusting so hard as to force his way into Tony's body. Tony cursed, his vision was getting brighter, his body was fighting back, bucking and thrashing, but all the while he was being pushed closer and closer.

"That's right, that's good," Loki breathed encouragingly.

Tony gritted his teeth and rocked his hips back desperately, joining in to his own destruction. He chanted his yeses and oh gods as Loki panted hard in his ear. The harder Loki pounded, the more his cock rubbed against the edge of the bed. He was going to cum and cum soon.

"Go on, Tony," Loki breathed.

"Yes, yes!" Tony gasped gratefully. He wailed and came, his seed splashing out against the bed sheet, his legs shaking and giving out.

Loki followed, not letting Tony go. The angle was now uncomfortable and tight, but Loki wasn't going to stop no not until he was done. Before the position could get too painful, his legs were released. Loki grunted angrily as he pushed Tony up onto the bed, remounting and entering him quickly.

Tony lay still as Loki pounded. This was perhaps the big change in his life. Doing a man? Unusual but not new. And not something he had any particular objections to. Just not something he did regularly. Playing with fire? Not new at all.

It was the passiveness. He had slept with hundreds of women and what he couldn't stand in a partner was the women who had lain in the bed like statute while Tony had fucked them. Lying still like a blow up doll. It irked him. Tony wanted that frantic tumble and rushed fuck that was just so exciting. Then creep away in the mornings before it could become deep or meaningful.

Now Tony would lie still. Let Loki do what he wanted. But it wasn't disinterest on Tony's part. It was acceptance. And Loki wasn't _using_ him. Loki's entire attention was focused on the creature beneath him. It was the intensity of Loki's passion which made Tony retreat away from attempted control.

Loki's hand was rubbing over his back. "Good boy," Loki whispered, more of a grunt as he thrust hard. "Such a good boy."

Loki yelled out as he came, shuddering hard and collapsing over Tony's back. Tony lay pinned, just listening to Loki's breath starting to calm. A hand reached out and stroked the muscles in Tony's arm tenderly. "I will have to think. I will not risk SHIELD's involvement in this just yet. Not until you have submitted to þjá ey. You will obey and cause no more arguments with your team. You understand? Behave and let me do the political machinations, they are not your strength."

"What is my strength?" Tony sulked, fairly certain he was in for a sex joke.

"You are a visionary."

Tony was surprised.

"You see the world how it should be and with such beautiful hands you bend metal and electricity to fit it. You bring your vision into the world and you will be remembered as a father of innovation. You deal with the world as it could be." Loki kissed Tony's neck tenderly. "I deal with the world as it is."

_That is perhaps the most wonderful thing he's ever said to me._

Tony fought back emotion. "And here I thought you were just going to say blow jobs."

"My darling, while I would gladly chain you to a bed for all eternity, I do not belittle the fact that you are a great man. Why would I ignore that truth? The conquest of a great man, of a man of strength and skill is far more of a triumph than conquering the weak and stupid."

Tony squirmed slightly, still pinned by Loki's weight, still bound with his hands over his head. "I need another shower after that."

"What a good idea, boy. Let's go, shall we?"

Tony smiled, despite himself and shook his head. "Let me up. I need to find some clothes." He dressed, Loki's eyes fixed on him as he moved about the room. "I'm going to grab some food."

"Then come back."

"Obviously." Tony said with a cheeky smile.

Tony walked out into the main room and swore violently at the figure in the main room. The sharp invasion into his dream world making it seem like the world was falling out from beneath his feet. Natasha stood up with an open text book. "Characteristics of compulsive behaviour." she read in a clear tone. "Stop me if anything sounds familiar-"

"Jarvis! Keep her out of the fucking tower!"

"My apologies, sir."

"Out of control behaviour," she said, reading down a list, "behaviour continues despite the consequences. Actions have a high risk. Actions are self-destructive. Constant battle and desire to control behaviour. Much time spent creating sexual, gambling or shopping fantasies-"

"Get out of my-"

"A clear divide between family, professional life and secret sex life."

Tony flinched despite himself.

"Person becomes very secretive and very inventive. Drastic mood changes before and after action." She looked up. "Ringing any bells?"

Tony shook with silent anger and... shame. "Get out of my tower."

"Is she in there?"

"No."

"Right. So you were just being that noisy with yourself?"

_What would she have heard? A male voice? Who's to say his or Loki's, when she was convinced that he was seeing a woman._

Tony closed the door behind him firmly. "Look, I don't know what you're trying to do. But you're not ruining this for me. You understand?"

"I'm not trying to ruin anything, Tony," Natasha said, almost gently. "But I can't just ignore what's going on. This is my job."

"She's not having an interview."

"Tony, would you listen to yourself?" Natasha snapped. "You're coming across as a controlling guy and that's not you."

_Me? Controlling? You have no fucking idea._

"You're an ass, but you're a gentlemen and you're not going to stand there and make her decisions for her. She's an adult. Just let me speak to her. For now. That'll be enough for me to go to the Directors and convince them that there's nothing to worry about."

The door opened behind him. "Tony," said a soothing, female voice.

Tony half closed his eyes in a sigh of frustration. Lockley glided around him and walked over to the windows to the platform. "Come on, Agent Romanoff. Shall we speak outside?"

Tony moved to follow, but a flash of Lockley's eyes made him hesitate "I'll just wait here then." he snapped. "While you ladies chat?"

Natasha threw him a disparaging look. Lockley just turned away and walked out. Tony could have listened in. Jarvis could have put through the conversation, but the look Loki had given him made him hesitate. He swore angrily and walked away, down to the lab where things were so much simpler.

It was perhaps half an hour when Natasha appeared at this elbow. "An interesting woman you've found yourself."

"Why are you still in my tower?" Tony asked, without looking at her.

"But I'm still not convinced. She's hiding something... but I am sure that she cares. I think she cares about you. But she's hiding something, Tony. She was lying. She was doing it well and I know my liars. She's a good liar."

Tony ignored her.

"Just because she cares about you doesn't mean that she's not working for Loki."

Tony looked up sharply. "Why do you say Loki?"

She shrugged. "Or Doom or Hammer. Or someone new. Or she's just an opportunist." Natasha cocked her head. "But you've wondered if she has a connection to Loki before, haven't you?"

Tony turned angrily away. It frustrated him that Natasha couldn't seem to work out Lockley was Loki but could read Tony like a book.

_Under these circumstances, would I have realized who Lockley was? Probably not._

"I say Loki simply because of the way she lies. It reminded me of the way he did. Loki lies with the truth, that's what makes his lies so dangerous. Because no lie can be wholly refuted. And once you've planted the idea that parts of the lie are true, then the natural reaction is just to accept the rest. Tony... be careful."

"You'll get off my back now?"

"I'll talk to the Directors. I don't think there's an immediate danger, but..." she left the sentence hanging. She gave him a pitying look and left.

Tony threw down his pad and made his way quickly back up to the main floor. Loki was sitting in a chair, his legs hanging over the arm in an elegantly lazy manner. His face was furrowed and tense, but he didn't seem unduly worried or angry. "That woman had long ago earned my admiration. She is... talented. For a Midgardian."

Stab of jealousy.

_Fuck. Why does that keep happening? It's not as though I want to be his so why should he be mine?_

"Really?" Tony said blandly.

Loki looked up. "She has great perception."

Tony held the gaze for as long as he could, but his eyes dropped after a few seconds and he walked to the bar. "What did you to talk about?"

"Agent Romanoff was attempting to infer my character and intentions."

Tony rubbed his goatee as he thought. "Okay, we have to manage this. We can't just jump from quick fix to quick fix, we have to-"

"We don't have to do anything. I will manage this. You focus on nothing but what I tell you."

Tony slammed a bottle down on the bar with a thump. "I'm not a child! You can't talk to me like- fucking shit. Fuck you, fuck your controlling, domineering- fuck it! You want me to bind with you? Entirely conditional on me being willing and you are giving me absolutely no reason to say yes, you complete prick!"

Loki gazed at him witheringly and didn't even have the decency to argue. It was clear that he viewed the outburst as a tantrum and no more.

"Get out," Tony said.

Loki stood with a sigh. "Ordinarily, I would beat you until you begged me to take you, but I have a prior engagement."

"With who?" Tony asked quickly, angrily.

Loki evaporated into the air. Tony swore again and threw the bottle where the figure had been. It flew across the room and smashed against the bedroom door. Next to him, Natasha had left the book _Basic Guide to Mental Disorders_ open at page thirty-six, Obsessive Compulsive Behaviour.


	27. Chapter 27: Hammer Time

Thanos. There was a fat lot of nothing.

Okay, to be fair, there were a few things. A couple of scraps of very old literature, some cave paintings which seemed to indicate something Titan-ish. But no guarantees it was the right Titan. Like the Asgardians had their prominence in Norse culture, the Titan's seemed to be Greek. Mythologically speaking, they were above the gods, older, more powerful and had ruled the universe until the gods had taken control.

Other than that, Tony had hit a dead end.

The scientific approach wasn't gaining him much ground either. The readings they had got from the portal in North Korea had been better than the old New York ones because there had been equipment set up to analyse the Bifröst. They had caught the data on the portal and now Tony at least knew _how_ they were made. But not why and under who's influence.

It was more than a bitter desire for revenge on the creature that was driving Tony. Though that was pretty much in the forefront of his mind. But it was more than that. This was something Tony could do and show Loki he was more than a toy. This was something that Tony alone could do and do for Loki.

_Fuck him for thinking I wouldn't. Fuck him for thinking that I'm not still Tony Stark._

All the screens shut off at once. Tony glanced up, annoyed at the interruption to his thoughts. "Jarvis, you turned off the project."

"Yes Sir."

"Why?"

"I thought it wise, Sir. I'm afraid you have a visitor."

"Your mechanical servant has more brains than you, boy."

Tony's eyes widened. _Oh shit._ He stood, turned… and backed away as nonchalantly as he could from the… let's not beat around the bush here, the _livid_ god. In his casual, Stuttgart clothes today, but his staff had most definitely been recharged.

_Ah._

"How are we today, darling?" Tony asked with a small smile.

_Fuck._

Tony managed to dodge a bolt of blue. It missed him and hit a cabinet, destroying the panel and causing the equipment inside to fall out and crash to the ground. He stared, backing away slightly. _That's the first time he's actually attacked me since we started._

"Now that's an overreaction," Tony said.

Well, _attacked_ as in with something more than hands or knives. Or suffocation. Or frost bite. _Look, there's a fine line, okay? It makes sense if you don't think about it too hard._

"I have a feeling this is going to be a whole new fight we can have," Tony said. "At least it will get your mind off the thrall-ing thing." Tony ducked another bolt of blue. Behind him, the glass dividing wall shattered into a thousand pieces. "Too close!"

Loki's hand was at his neck, squeezing. _Fuck he moves fast._ Tony's hands flew up, trying to prise the fingers away before he was thrown backwards against a car. He landed on the bonnet but before he could get up, the blade of the staff was at his throat.

"You invite punishment! I do not understand why you have to be so-"

"Tony Stark?" Tony filled in.

_Maybe now he'll understand. He has to understand. We can't be together if he's going to think that I'm going to change._

Despite Tony's little smile, Loki was not reacting to any attempts on Tony's part to bring on the charm. "Why are you searching for the Mad Titan?"

"I thought I'd invite him round for a beer. Why the fuck do you think?!" Tony snapped angrily.

"It is not your concern!"

"You're my concern!" Tony's mouth hung open after he said it, before the shock finally wore off and he closed it sharply.

_He is._

_Maybe, but that's not a useful sentiment right now._

"Oh really?" Loki said nasty.

"No."

"I hadn't realised you were so possessive. Have my wicked ways finally broken your defenses, are you ready to submit? Are you ready to tie your soul to mine eternally?"

_Give me time, Loki. I'm getting there._

Perhaps this was half the problem. Loki wanted to bask in his win, he didn't just want to quietly be glad that he was getting through to his boy. He wanted to rub his victory in Tony's face, force him to admit just how much Tony needed this.

Tony will never change, he will always be Tony. And Loki, no matter how loving and gentle he could be, was Loki. And he wanted the whole world to realise his brilliance. To celebrate him... like they had always done with Thor.

"Never, you fuck!" Tony hissed, trying to push away the staff.

Loki pulled away the blade, but instead rammed the gold rod against Tony's neck, his hands on either side, holding Tony pinned down against the bonnet. Tony's hands flew up to push the staff back as it closed his throat. He yelled and kicked, feeling Loki's pelvis crushed against his as the god leaned down so he was close, too close, to Tony's lips. Tony moved a hand to reach up and hit him, but as the god's staff crushed his Adams Apple, he desperately grasped it with both hands again, pushing back.

_It's like an extreme version of bench-pressing. Only with a psycho Asgardian._

It was a violent competition between them. His heart was pounding, his mouth tasted bitter, the blood in his head was pounding in his ears. It was more real than any fight they had had so far. Loki's face was stern and angry, glaring down at the mortal, pushing the gold bar closer against Tony's throat. Tony's kicking legs were either side of Loki's body, flailing out desperately as his air once again cut off. As black closed in around his vision Loki's lips leaned back in to Tony's.

"Promise me to stop looking for the Mad Titan and I'll let you live."

Tony stared; fear and panic flaring up, but just as quickly simmering down. Despite his lack of breath, he managed an honest laugh. Loki looked taken aback.

"I don't believe you." Tony whispered. He pushed hard and the staff came off his throat. "I don't believe you!"

Loki held Tony down for a few seconds more, before pulling back, taking his staff away. Tony fell to his knees, choking, spluttering for breath. Loki stood, impassive, gazing at the kneeling boy. "Thanos is not a game. It is not something you can face, Tony. He is to be feared and avoided. Not sought out."

"Says you," Tony spat.

"Says anyone with a brain, Tony."

Tony felt a hand grasp his arm and literally haul him up until he was on his feet. He staggered on the spot for a moment. "What the fuck are you doing? Hiding from him? In a cave out in the middle of nowhere?"

Loki glared and turned away.

"If you were in Asgard, they'd be able to protect you, but you're not. You're hiding out here in some Hammer funded hole in the ground so _I _have to do something!"

Tony's head swung to the side sharply as Loki backhanded him. Tony stumbled back against a work table, righting himself quickly. But the god didn't speak so Tony pressed on.

"What the fuck are you waiting for? Thor wants you back. Odin wants you back. Your mum wants you back. You could be back in Asgard, safe and protected from Thanos and be the Iago of the court again. And I know that's what you want! Lie all you want but I'm not the only one who loses control over his thoughts post orgasm! I've heard you and the crooning you've done over your time there. You're only happy when you're causing mischief and isn't it so much better to be in the gang and cause trouble than to try to do it from the outside?"

Loki rounded on him. "So this is what you want?"

"No, this is what _you_ want. I can tell, Loki, you're tired of being the isolated rebel. Just go hom-"

_Ouch. _

And he fell to the floor hard. He crawled into a sitting position, his head spinning. Blinking hard, a hand rising to his mouth in pain, Tony winced. He looked at his fingers and saw blood. He glowered blurrily up at Loki. "You're paying for the dentist bills."

"I am going to-"

"Yeah, yeah punish me. Fine. I can't stop you. But you know I'm right."

"No you're-"

"Let me rephrase that. I'm _always_ right."

Loki dithered, looking strung out and angry. "You shouldn't do this to me, boy."

"Whatever, dickhead."

Loki closed his eyes, rubbing his face wearily. "You think I can just waltz back into the Halls of the All Father whenever the fancy takes me? And why would I, for a moment, want to bow and scrape to that decaying fool? Desist in your pointless attempts to send me away, I go nowhere. You are owned and you will obey. You are a stupid, selfish child."

Tony was on his feet, pulsing with resentment. "And you're a fucking arrogant shit. Don't you dare say things like that then ask me to tie myself to you for eternity. I'm trying to help you! I am not some toy that you turn on and off whenever you fucking feel like it! I am Tony Stark! Tony fucking Stark and I am going to find Thanos and destroy him and there is no one in this universe, other than you it seems, who doesn't believe I can do it! Fucking Loki the fucking trickster pretending to care when we both know I'm nothing more than a quick fuck! Go back to Asgard and do what you do best and cause fucking mischief and leave me to do what I do."

The anger and bile poured into the yell almost took on a life of its own, hanging in the air and screaming its fury long after Tony had finally stopped speaking. He turned back to his computer, turning the screens back on and staring unseeingly at the data readings, willing the diagnostic scan to finish hours before it would. "Just fuck off."

There was a long silence as both caught their breath. Then lips were suddenly pressed against the back of his neck at the all too sensitive skin at his hairline.

"Do your best to test me, to push me away. You will come to learn that I will never leave. I have centuries to prove it to you."

"I'm not going to stop searching for him, you psycho," Tony snapped.

"I know."

"I'm going to find him."

"I know. That is what I fear."

Tony felt an involuntary sigh leaving his body as muscles relaxed. "Just go."

"No."

"Please go."

"Yet again, I refuse. Now what?"

"You will eventually." Months into this and Tony was still so sure of that fact.

"If I leave, it will be from this world only. And if I do, I will be dragging you in tow behind me, most likely you objecting every step of the way. You will never be without me."

"I will not be your boy trailing you through the corridors of Asgard like a poodle."

"Then do not. All the better and far more exciting when I have to search for you, hunt you down and drag you to the bed by your ankle."

"You only began this all because you wanted to screw with Thor."

"How we started is immaterial to why we continue."

"And why is that?" Tony whispered.

"Because I do not wish to live without you, and you I, I hope."

Tony moved his hips, his ass rubbing up against Loki's crotch like a large contented cat. It was wordless as his hips undulated and both found their eyes closing, enjoying the long moment. "Loki?"

"Yes boy?"

"Have you ever had sex in a car?"

They stumbled as they stripped each other, heading across the lab and Tony found himself being thrust up against his Aston Martin. Tony held Loki, his arms wrapped around his shoulders as the man humped against him, their hardening cocks rubbing against each other with glorious friction. Loki had his face buried in Tony's neck, sucking and kissing while Tony took a second to calculate.

While there would have been devastatingly kinkiness in fucking in the 1932 Ford Flathead Roadster, it was the car he and his father had spent years repairing. And while he supposed on some Freudian level, willingly becoming some Nordic God's fuck toy was an act of pure rebellion against his father and everything his father had wanted for him... he wasn't quite ready to screw over the man's memory. It was... unseemly.

The Aston Martin against which Loki seemed to be determined to hump his body into the framework was just too small. Tony pushed and tried to steer Loki. "The Audi," he said persuasively, but Loki didn't seem to care either way. Once he realised which car Tony was referring to, he hauled his boy to it, barely ceasing his attentions. Loki's lips were now on his chest, licking his skin intensely.

Tony opened the door but had to stop as he gasped and arched. Loki had latched his mouth onto a nipple and was now sucking and biting hard. Before Loki, Tony would never have said that it was high on his list for things that got him off, but now he needed it like he needed air.

He managed to manoeuvre himself into the car and Loki followed quickly. There was an awkward few minutes of rearranging. It wasn't a large space and it meant that Loki and Tony were forced to be close whether they wanted to or not.

Loki smiled and reached around to shut the door. Tony smiled blissfully as Loki resumed the hard desperate grinding. Tony found a sigh leaving his chest. Loki wasn't the only one to have his fantasies, after all. The smell of the car leather, the sight of Loki in his car, naked. The arc lit the scene in a gentle blue light. Tony squirmed and bucked in that familiar way. _Oh god!_

Tony's hands wrapped around Loki's ass, kneading the firm muscles between his fingers, holding tight as powerful thrusts rubbed against him. The constant stimulation against his cock was building as the throbbing intensified.

Tony found to his surprise his fingers moving to his own nipple, plucking and twisting at the bud. He heard Loki chuckle above him. "My little boy, that's right, that's good. Give in to your need. There is no shame between us. Give in to the wanton lust I create within you. I will either praise your whoreishness, or punish. But if you do not take the risk, you may never be fulfilled."

His vision was beginning to go blurred and his body felt like a live wire. And Loki wasn't even in him. "I'm going- to- cum," he choked.

"If you like. But you will not be leaving this vehicle until I have."

Tony forced it back. He just didn't want to, not until he felt Loki in him. He bit into his lip hard. Loki stopped rubbing against Tony and instead reached down and guided his now solid cock into Tony's helpless body. The tight space of the car meant that the thrusts into Tony body were forced to be slow. But Tony's widely spread legs, hooking over the back seat and the driver's seat meant that when Loki pushed down hard, he went all the way in and dominated Tony entirely.

Tony wailed as Loki pounded slowly but deeply. "Loki, I'm, I'm-" Tony whimpered in agitation. His cock was already waving in the air.

"Shh, boy. No, no touching. I said no! Good boy. That's it, hold on to the headrests if it keeps your naughty hands from yourself. Such a good boy, Tony," Loki said soothingly. "That little erection of yours is mine and I wish it to remain while I enjoy myself. A boy desperate to cum is an obedient one. Can you raise your hips for me? A little more? There now, isn't that better? Isn't that deeper? Ah, there's the spot! Your whole body shook like a leaf! And again. And again. Ha, such wails and whimpers I have not heard from you before, my darling. How much of this can you take? I have yet to cause you to cum without any stimulation to your cock. But that little goal I have saved for the future when I have longer to play with you. For now, I wish to enjoy the sound of your sobs for as long as possible."

Tony was thrashing, bucking, twisting as Loki pushed in remorselessly and hit his prostate every time. His eyes were rolled back in his head and he lost himself in Loki's words.

_Loki's words. No one's ever talked to me like this. No one else ever will._

After what Tony might have sworn was hours of exquisite torture, Tony finally got the command. "Stoke yourself, darling."

Tony's hand worked furiously. Loki grabbed his hips so tightly that Tony knew he'd wake up with bruises. Loki reached down and closed a powerful hand over Tony's own, effectively stopping Tony's fanatic jerking. He squeezed and Tony yelped as the grip became too tight.

He looked up with angry, disappointed and begging eyes.

"There are three truths you must come to accept if you are ever to shed these nightmares which plague you."

_Fucking shit! He wants to give me a lecture now of all fucking moments?!_

"First, I love you, Tony Stark. Second, you need me, not only to survive, but to be happy. Third, I will be using your body without tiring of it for the rest of your life." Loki took a moment to smooth his own hair out of his damp face while his other hand kept a very firm grip on Tony's cock. "Now, you will not orgasm until you have convinced me you understand these three facts. Repeat them. Now!"

"You l-love m-me," Tony whispered, slowly and agonisingly. "I n-need you. To survive. To be-be happy." He took a deep and shaky breath. "And you will fuck me, forever."

Loki shook his head. "I do not think you believe that. So you will say it again."

And that's how it went for a good four minutes, maybe even longer. Tony being forced to repeat the same three sentences over and over again, while Loki stared deep into Tony's eyes and refused to accept that Tony believed what he was saying.

"If you loved me, you wouldn't do this to me!" Tony yelled vehemently.

"Do you want me to stop?"

Tony panted and growled.

"Do you want me to stop?"

"No. No!" Tony admitted.

"Then why would I not do this, if this is what you want?"

"I don't know" Tony muttered in confusion and distress.

"Do you want more?"

"Yes!"

"More abuse or more love?"

"Both."

"What turns you on more?"

"Abuse," Tony whimpered.

"What do you want?"

"Abuse."

"From?"

"You."

"What are the three truths?"

Tony shook and whispered, "You love me. You actually love me. I need you entirely. And you'll fuck me for the rest of my life. I believe you."

Loki stroked him, hard and fast and Tony came powerfully, his cum peppering the leather around them and even the ceiling of the Audi. Tony panted, gasped, blinking hard to try to uncross his eyes.

He was sore all over and fuck he felt good!

Loki bent down and captured his little boy's lips. "Well?"

Tony nodded, almost in tears but holding them back with everything he had. "Best yet," he confirmed. He felt like he had been wrung through.

Loki pulled his fragile body from the car, throwing him over a shoulder like a child and bringing him back upstairs to the bed. Tony winced as a hand rose and slapped his ass a few times in a playful manner.

"Yet I find myself still in need of a little more. Your darling display excited me terribly. There are no objections I assume if I lay you out over the bed and pound you for a little while longer?"

"Yes, I object!" Tony said alarmed. "I object very much!"

"Enough to demand I leave?"

Tony shut his mouth quickly. Loki threw him out over the mattress and clambered over his prone body. "I thought not," he breathed delightedly as he pushed his way into Tony without hesitation.

xxx

Tony felt Loki's breath on his neck as they huddled together in the bed, Loki tucked up in Tony's arms. The god was asleep, but Tony found himself curiously awake after so much sex which was strange. Since Loki had started making his visits, he generally slept like the dead.

As the man muttered in his sleep, Tony had a sudden wave of… possessiveness. He hadn't felt it before. Mostly, he had been feeling overwhelmed and controlled. When it came to Loki, you could seemingly claim the same ownership over him as you could over the moon.

But now… he hadn't wanted to feel possessiveness for the simple reason he wasn't exactly sure he wanted Loki to be his anymore than he wanted to be Loki's.

Tony was suddenly beginning to wonder what Loki did, away from this room and not because he was afraid the god was causing global mischief. Because he didn't want to take the risk that this creature who owned him wasn't owning anyone else.

He must have fallen asleep at some point, because he was gently awoken by a kiss to the neck, Loki whispering, "I will return later," and a quick grope against his ass. He groaned, annoyed at Loki's bold behaviour so early, but when he opened his eyes, the god was already gone.

"Sir, it is time to get up."

Tony grumbled. "What time?"

"It has just gone midday."

"When did he leave?"

"A few hours ago, Sir."

Tony forced himself out the bed and into a shower. Thought about Loki, about how sore he was in all the right places and again felt that wave of ownership. Not just Loki's ownership of him but his ownership of Loki.

Apparently, his mind had been mulling on the problem all night because he had woken with a fully formed idea what to do.

"Cancel anything on my schedule today, Jarvis."

"Sir, you have a tailor appointment at one thirty which you have been very keen to attend."

"Oh yeah. Then cancel everything else. I go there first and swing by Adirondack on the way back." Tony smirked slightly. "Hammer Time."

xxx

Tony heard the buzz and looked up. A man in uniform nodded at him and Tony followed him into another grey depressing room lined with booths with phones and windows. He sat down in a random booth and examined his nails, just to have something to do.

There was another irritating buzz and a door on the other side of the room opened. A man in orange was seated in the chair facing Tony on the other side of the glass. His handcuffs were removed.

Tony looked up speculatively at Justin Hammer, his eyes absently noting the prisoner number and his disappointingly less than haggard appearance. In fact, he looked exactly the same, which irked Tony. Maybe he could pay a suggestible guard to stop feeding him or something.

He picked up the phone in the booth and waited for Hammer to do the same.

"Well gosh; I do believe it's Tony Stark."

"That's a good colour on you, Justin."

Justin smiled coldly, looking like he wanted to spit acid. "Now, of all my guests, you were the last I was expecting. But so kind of you, I mean, to drag yourself all the way here when you must be so busy with alien invasions and whatnot."

"I haven't met any whatnots yet, but I'll let you know."

"Aren't you a hoot?"

"Tell me," Tony said slowly, "what else you have been giving Loki other than Trojans and mercenaries."

Hammer looked momentarily derailed, but rallied quickly. "Who?"

"Listen, you might have nothing else on your schedule today than to stare at a ceiling all day, but I'm actually in a bit of a rush today. Parties, sex, gambling, that sort of thing. So can we cut out the bullshit?"

"You know," Justin said with a bitter chuckle, "he promised me you were going to die. That was the first time. Now I," he raised a hand with a little laugh, "I objected. Of course, Tony. I'm not the sort of guy to hire a hit! Strictly business, you know that. But then you didn't die and he said it was because he was going to make you feel pain first."

"And did you have any objections to that?"

"Well not as many as you might think."

"Didn't think so."

"He said he was going to destroy you. And the Iron Man for all the world to see. And now here you are, sitting there in your Armani suit and your stupid sunglasses-"

"It's Ralph Lauren."

"Really? Nice cut."

"Thank you, it's called an Anthony cut, would you believe. But I wouldn't sell your burnt orange jumpsuit look short, I bet you must turn all the guys heads in the there."

"Everything comes up fucking roses for you, doesn't it Tony?"

Tony didn't reply, but the smirk was enough. "What have you been selling Loki?"

"Mercenaries, software, weapons of course. Hideouts across the world. Usual super villain stuff. The man knows what he wants, I like that."

"Tell me where his hideouts are."

"No. Do you know how much I'm making off this smuck? God of mischief or whatever? When I'm out, I'm going to buy Pennsylvania. Hammer Industries is back in business. And he's helped improve my living situation while I am temporarily-"

"Banged up?"

"On leave."

Tony glared as Justin now launched into a clearly prepared little monologue about power. From the way he spoke and the phases he used, Tony knew for a fact that he had cribbed Loki. He could hear it. Loki had given more than a few power and control speeches and listening to Justin do it now, it was like hearing Shakespeare done by the Lolly-Pop guild.

Tony just sat quietly and got angrier and angrier at the smug little bastard. _God, if only the little fuckwit wasn't behind glass. I'd break his nose._

One thing Tony was fairly sure of, he didn't think they were fucking. Justin was his usual conceited little self and Tony was sure that if this man was sharing the same domination that Tony was, he'd be different.

_Am I?_

Maybe Tony was just talking himself into believing, because thinking that this worthless little wretch was an object of Loki's desire would cheapen what Loki felt for Tony. After all, if Loki had an Aston Martin, wouldn't you think less of him if you saw him in a Nissan Micra? Tony pushed away images of Loki and Justin, feeling his stomach curl up blackly.

The playboy stood, nodding at a guard who reappeared to let him out. "Loki is a guy who'll stab you in the back while smiling in your face. Try to remember that he's a thousand year old god and you are a runt of a weasel. And I am Tony Stark. Despite the best efforts of the pair of you, I'm still here. Now what does that say? Anyway, I'm off. There's a whole wide world out there that you're not going to be seeing for a while. But I'll send you a couple of boxes of cigarettes. You can use them to buy back your ass."

xxx

"Tony," breathed a voice.

The gentle call was almost becoming routine in Tony's world. It illustrated what sort of evening he was likely to have. A soft call of 'Tony' generally entailed an evening of lots of sex. An arm grabbing his arm, dragging him to the bedroom with a sharp growl of 'boy'... well, that meant an evening of lots of sex too. But generally only after a few hours of blood and bruises.

_What do you prefer then?_

Tony didn't want to answer that one really. He was becoming more and more concerned about his answer. Because blood and pain forced Tony to remember that this was all just to scratch that itch. Lately, he wasn't sure...

Tony looked up as Loki waltzed over. He glanced at his watch. Five hour's since he'd left the prison. _Well, we all knew this was going to happen, right? _"Hey Loki."

Loki looked playful but... Tony flattered himself that after so many months with the man, he could read Loki a little now. He was playful… with an edge. Tony was immediately on his guard.

Loki leant up against the bar next to Tony in lighter Asgardian clothes than the usual leather green and black armour, or the gold horned affair.

_One day, I'll have to ask... he's never taken me wearing that helmet..._

Tony glanced warily at him. "What's up?"

"What did you do today?"

_Fuck._

"Why?"

"Can I not simply be interested in what my boy did today?"

"You've always got an angle. Your angles have angles."

Loki gave him doe eyes and moved so he was pressed up against Tony. Tony could feel the warmth from his body, smell him, drowning in the closeness. His arms came up and around Tony's waist. Tony felt the warmth of his body heating him, making him slightly dizzy with a rush of need. The god licked his lips, making them bright and beautiful and leant forward so his cheek brushed against Tony's. He hummed slightly in the playboy's ear.

Tony shivered. _So, this is what it's like to be seduced._

"Talk to me, Tony," Loki cooed.

"Well... I went into the office. First time in months."

"Really?"

"Yeah. They'd got rid of my desk."

Loki made an encouraging sound in his throat. Tony could feel Loki's breath on his neck, creating heat and making him shudder. One thin, delicate but deceptively strong hand curling round his hand. Tony could feel his brain going fuzzy.

"Then I went to my tailor."

"More suits? Tony, I wonder why you bother..." Loki said with a purely deviant leer.

Tony rolled his eyes, more at the pleasurable lurch in his stomach than at Loki's purred words. Loki's open mouth was running over his neck, a tongue laving out occasionally. "And then?"

Tony shrugged vaguely, pulling himself back together as he jumped over the danger point of his day. "I came back to the tower, used the gym and spent the rest of the day in the lab. Pretty much it."

"Are you sure?"

_He can't know. Right?_

_Of course he does._

"Yeah. Anyway, how was your-"

Tony cried out in pain as his wrist was wrenched up his back, swinging him round. Tony's free arm came out, preventing his face from smashing against the low bar as Loki bent him over it.

He objected violently, the right side of his face and chest flattened on the surface. Loki's other hand, fingers in his hair, was holding his head down firmly. "What happened after the tailor's, Tony?" Loki said in an easy, casual voice.

"What the fuck are you-" Tony exclaimed, but yelped out as Loki pulled up harder. The pain burned through his shoulder and back.

"What happened after the tailor's, Tony?"

"I came back to the- ah! Fuck!"

"What happened after the tailor's, Tony?"

"Stop it!"

"What happened after the tailor's, Tony?"

"I-" Tony winced. "Fuck you, fine! I went to see Justin Hammer! What fucking crazy god rule did I break this time?"

"Tony, Tony, Tony," Loki sighed wearily. "You do invite this upon yourself."

Tony growled. "You just watch what your twisting back there - that watch costs more than Asgard!" He spat melodramatically.

Loki sighed. Tony felt a movement and was surprised to see Loki placing the Rolex neatly in front of his face.

"Better?" Loki asked, not waiting for an answer before twisting his arm up harder.

Tony howled, his free arm flailing against the bar in agony. "Fuck it! Shit!" He yelled, more releasing the pain than expecting anything to come of his objections.

"Do something useful with that free hand, boy, and unbuckle your trousers."

"No!"

Loki raised Tony's head and smacked it back down on the table. Tony yelped, his mind rattling in his skull. "Please?" Loki cooed.

Tony's foot slammed down on Loki's foot. All that happened was that Tony now had a very painful foot. "Ow, fuck!"

Loki chuckled darkly and Tony just knew he was rolling his eyes. "Well, you must be commended for your efforts, I suppose."

Tony hissed and spat his anger, but was already unfastening his trousers. They fell to the floor, tangling around his ankles. Tony blushed slightly at Loki's delicate chuckle.

Loki ran his fingers over his boxers. "It's been a while since I've seen you wearing underwear, boy."

"I was at the tailors!" Tony snapped in a hiss.

Loki pulled them down, leaving them at his ankles too. That was humiliating, far more than just being naked. It turned him into a child again. Loki gave his ass an affectionate pat. Tony squirmed away angrily and was rebuked by even more pressure on his cruelly twisted arm.

"Just because you're being punished, Tony, doesn't mean we can't have fun with it."

"There is no reason for me to be-" Tony started but was cut off.

"If you had not believed going to see Hammer was wrong, then you would not have lied."

_Talk yourself out of that one, genius._

Loki didn't wait for any attempted explanation. Tony yelped at the first smack, but gritted his teeth and narrowed his eyes against the rest, forcing himself to do it in silence.

_God this is going to make me so hard._

The stinging evolving into throbs, until his entire ass was throbbing. Once his backside must have been bright red, Loki moved to spread the slaps out between his thighs.

Tony grunted angrily, biting his tongue as he realised his face was wet with involuntary tears. He realised he was breathing deeply, shaking. Waiting for Loki to decide it was over. Waiting for him to stop.

Loki did... Eventually. Tony was floating in a haze of pain and need. _As usual._ It was a state Loki was almost determined to keep him permanently in. A state where Tony's resistance was worn down to the point that, with careful handing, the boy would do anything Loki asked.

Loki stopped and took a step back.

Tony licked his lips, his eyes red and wet and knew unconsciously that Loki wasn't even holding him. Tony was still bent over, his chest and face against the bar, standing there waiting for something to happen.

"Hum... Beautiful."

Tony shuddered.

"Don't move."

Loki walked away, leaving him. Tony couldn't and wouldn't move. The boy was waiting patiently.

A few moments later, Loki was standing in the doorway. "Take off the rest of your clothes, boy. And come here. Crawl."

Tony obeyed, a little slower than he would have done had he been fully awake. He was moving like he was in a dream.

"That's a good boy," Loki praised as Tony crawled into the bedroom. "Up on the bed, facing towards the end. Hands and knees."

Tony positioned himself. "Loki," he muttered.

"Hush. Do you trust me to bring you pleasure?"

"Yes."

"Then relax. Anything I do to you, you will accept. Because you know, boy, that you will cum."

"Yes."

"Yes what?"

"Yes, god."

Loki's cock was suddenly in front of his face. "Worship me."

Tony sucked enjoyably, his hips swinging back and forward as his head bobbed. He hummed and gagged, his tongue working over the veins.

"Yesss, boy! You're divine! You're so beautiful, yes! Suck me, yes!"

Tony sped up delightedly.

_Fuck. If I had a tail, it would be wagging._

Loki's hand, tangled in his hair, was forcing him down deeper than he was really able to go. Tony tried to move his head away as Loki brought him back down. He made a quiet, miserable noise as one hand left the bed to push against Loki's thigh.

"Hand back on the bed Tony. Don't attempt to control. Just a little longer."

Tony nodded and was forced back down. Loki held him longer now, and Tony felt weak as the cock finally pulled out. He coughed and spluttered.

"Good boy, you did so well," Loki soothed.

Tony felt the unwanted silly smile on his face.

Loki was on the bed behind Tony and Tony _like a well-trained fucking Chihuahua _tipped his pelvis up, his back dipping down as he presented better access.

_God, you might as well bark._

The god patted him as he stroked fingers in. As the third finger entered, they twisted, finding that pebble of his prostate and stroking gently but firmly, with a pace which suggested that Loki could keep this up as long as the smug bastard wanted to.

"Ohh, that's right boy. Croon for me."

Tony squirmed and thrust, little moans, pants and low whines pouring from his mouth jubilantly. Tony's fingers grasped the bed sheets tightly as his shining, slick body danced for his god.

"Mm, mm, mm," Tony moaned, his eyes out of focus. The moan changed to a gasp then a shuddering sigh as Loki's briefly ran a finger down the underside of Tony's cock. _God help me. _Loki was playing Tony like an instrument.

"Oh Tony," Loki breathed. "You don't know, you'll never understand… you'll never believe. Your writhing, hot, panting body is my guiding star. Your growls, hisses and yelps of pain my melody. Your gasps, cries and wails of desire my mantra. Your body, your face, the sound you create at climax my paradise." Tony was pushed down and flipped over, his legs in the air framing the god's head. Loki was already working his way into Tony with clear urgency. "I'm going to take you, boy. Tell me you want it."

"I do! Please!"

Loki hammered hard. Tony almost felt himself drooling under the strain of Loki's and his own desire. He tried to watch that beautiful face above him, hanging over him like the silver moon. But Loki's intensity upon Tony's face, staring into every inch of his gasps and shudders was too much to see. Loki looked hungry, like no matter how much pleasure, pain and emotion he pulled from Tony, it would never be enough. He almost wanted to devour Tony.

Tony turned his attention instead to his own feet which made little circles in the air as Loki jackhammered now.

"Ah!" Tony groaned hard, his back arching. "Oh! God!" He watched his toes curl, his calves tensing. "Oh! Oh!" Tony made little sounds of distress in panting whines. His body was ready to cum, begging to cum, everything in him was there but he needed to touch against his straining cock.

He looked down to see it pressed against his stomach, red, weeping precum. It was the most painful Loki had ever allowed it to become.

Tony's hand moved instinctively towards- "Touch it and I'll tie your hands," gasped Loki, not pausing in his ramming.

Tony cursed, sobbing, balling his hands into fists and not touching. As Loki bent his legs over his head, fucking harder into his hapless boy, Tony jerked and cried out slightly as the bed gave an uncomfortable lurch forward and down.

_Just great. The asshole had broken another one._

The bed was rocking unsuitably. It only added to the horrendous excitement.

Tony whimpered his desperate pleases over and over again, tears pouring down his face. As please didn't seem to penetrate Loki's thick lust addled brain, Tony instead turned to mercy, repeating the word over and over again.

"No," Loki ground out in a tense voice. "I'm so cl- so close. We'll come together or not at all!"

Tony shook. _Fuck don't say that! I'll die! _"Please cum!" Tony begged.

"Talk to me, convince me you're my boy."

"I am! I am your boy! I need you, Loki, I can't-can't- fuck yes! I can't ever stop th-thinking about you! You've made me s-so whole, so full, so- oh my god yes! I hate it when you're not there! I don't want you to be anywhere b-but in me! Not in hiding, not in Asgard and not with Justin! Me, just me! Be in me!"

Loki's hand was suddenly jerking Tony so hard he might have pulled him apart. But he couldn't care less as his screams of climax mingled with Loki's.

They lay, panting hard, Tony trying to roll onto his side but his body refusing to move. Loki leaned up onto his arm and said, "Don't go near that prison again, boy."

Tony licked his lips unconsciously and croaked, "Go to hell."


	28. Chapter 28: Doom

Tony walked onto the Helicarrier, pointedly ignoring the sceptical glance Natasha gave him and saw Thor being congratulated by Steve. "What did I miss?"

Thor turned smiling eyes on Tony. "My friend! Jane Foster has agreed to become my wife."

"Hey! Congrats," Tony said. "The God of Thunder and a cute astrophysicist – you couldn't write it, could you?"

"Cute?"

"In a purely uninterested, platonic way," Tony said quickly.

Thor smiled and powerful arms grabbed him.

"Whoa! Son of a-!" Tony squeaked as Thor hugged him painfully. Seriously, Tony could have sworn his feet left the floor for a second. He saw Natasha hiding her face and Barton just laughing at him.

"Jane told me of your conversation," Thor said quietly.

For a second, Tony wondered how much trouble he was in this time.

"She said that you helped her in her decision. She said that you helped her decide to bind with me. I cannot thank you enough, Tony."

"No problem man," Tony squeaked. "Seriously, get off me."

Thor let him go and Tony saw the joy in his eyes. He knew that Thor and Loki weren't related. Two completely different sets of parents. But there was a similar sparkle there. He saw it more in Thor than in Loki. Loki's moods were always tinged with the expectation of future pain. For Thor life was all jolly good fun.

"I'm happy for you," Tony said, a little quieter as the Avengers behind him started talking amongst themselves. "I am."

"Thank you, Tony."

"Jane's a good kid. I liked her."

"She told me that the Queen had told you about þjá ey."

Tony cursed inwardly. "Jane's a little liar."

"My betrothed is no liar."

"Yes she is, she said she wouldn't tell you about that." Tony walked away, or tried to.

Again, a large and powerful hand came out and stopped him. "Why did my mother speak to you on such matters?"

"Because I was sticking my nose in your business like I stick my nose into anything that doesn't concern me. What can I say? It's a hobby."

Thor was looking at him intensely. "I do not doubt you asked. But it is why she would tell you which baffles me."

"You'd have to ask her."

"You are my brother in arms. You have fought beside me. You are my friend and now you help to ensure my brides' and my happiness. Yet you are keeping something from me, Tony Stark."

Tony stared straight back with a steady gaze. "Nothing you need to know about."

Thor held the look for a long time then smiled again. "Let us not bang heads over this. I am still too happy from the news. We will talk of it in the future. What I must tell you is that Jane and I both wish you to be there for the ritual of þja ey."

"Er, no. No, no, no. I don't do weddings. At all. Ever. I wouldn't even turn up to mine."

"I insist my friend and so too does Jane. It will be before the end of the year in the place Jane and I first met at her request."

"I don't think you get what 'no' means."

"You'll be there with Erik Selvig and Darcey. You will like them, they are honourable people."

"Am I talking to myself?"

At this point, Fury and Hill broke in on proceedings. "Alright, listen up-"

"Thor's engaged," Tony said, pointing at the offender.

"Yes I know. Congratulations Thor."

Thor nodded, the smile still radiant on his face. Tony honestly couldn't remember a time that he'd seen anyone so openly joyous. Well, no adult. Children were often just incredibly happy, because they couldn't see what was coming. Because they had no expectations. Thor was like that. He lived in the moment, whereas the first thought that had popped into everyone's mind, and Tony would dare them to deny it, was, _how long is this relationship going to las_t?

It was cruel and no one would say it, but they were all adult here. Except Thor, obviously. And they'd all been hurt bad at some point or another. Though Tony noticed that Natasha wasn't trying to stick her fucking oar into this one. Hypocrite.

"You're all off to Atlantic City. We've got reason to believe that Victor Von Doom is planning an attack there within the hour."

"What reason?" Barton asked.

"We've been monitoring chatter which we're fairly certain now is Doom's confederates."

"And you've heard them saying they'll be an attack in Atlantic City?"

Fury looked, for once, a little uncomfortable. "We've heard them discussing chatter they've heard on an attack on Atlantic City."

"So…" Tony said, keen to clarify. "We're going to Atlantic City, which boasts nothing but an airport, because we've heard people discussing something they heard discussed?"

Fury looked privately to be in agreement, but he said, "This is the closest thing we've had to a lead. We're following it. Like it or not, you're going."

"Fine," Tony said with a shrug, "but I'm swinging by the casino on the way home. Who's with me?"

No one, apparently.

Against everyone's expectations, they were only just setting down when an urgent report came to them from the SHIELD team already on the ground. An army of robots were marching down the main street, destroying everything in their path.

Don't you just hate it when far flung guesses are right? Sets a bad precedent.

"So why does Doom build better robots than you?" Barton asked with a dark smile.

"Go sharpen your arrows, or whatever the fuck you do."

Maybe Tony had been thinking about it lately. The robots, from what the footage was showing him, were good. But now he'd get an opportunity to see them up close. Tony's pride was already on shaky ground at the moment with the evolution of 'the boy'. He'd be damned if a pretty boy from Latveria, who had walked into that conference in Seattle ten years ago strutting like a peacock, was going to outdo Tony Stark.

Tony remembered Victor, before the accident, as an up and coming industrialist. The Times had even labelled him the 'Next Stark' which had pissed off both Tony and Victor for entirely different reasons. Now he was back and intent on making it onto the world stage as some sort of super villain. Typical.

The band of heroes were quick to get to the site and were confronted with the sight they had seen on monitors in Mexico. Thick, black metal, heavy-set hominid robots, marching in unison almost making the ground tremble. On their backs were large green triangles, their arrows pointing up. Uranium.

_Or 'insert batteries here' indicators._

Their heads were a very basic design, just a box like cone on a sort of bracket that allowed it to move in and out. There faces was blank except for one long strip of green which ran the entirety of the cone which provided them with their visual-audio data.

People were running ahead of the advancing wall of metal, but not fast enough. The robot's arms were raised at the elbow, pointing straight forward. Their hands were machine guns and they were creating a hail of bullets which was just scything down any before them. It was terrifying to see the waves of people just falling to the ground dead. The air above them was thick with screams and explosions. The city was in chaos.

Steve rushed forward, throwing his shield up over a mother and her daughter. "Go, go," he shouted. They ran, making it to a side street and sprinting away.

Steve turned and fired off his orders quickly, the sound of marching metal getting closer and closer.

"Barton, Tony, get up, start picking them off. Tell us where they're going. Thor keep them here. Natasha, take left, I'll take right. Hulk, do your thing."

Bruce was already exploding in green flesh before Steve had finished talking.

Tony grabbed Barton unceremoniously and rocketed up into the air.

"There was a time you'd ask," Barton called, a little annoyed.

Tony rolled his eyes and dropped the archer on the closest roof before turning in mid-air to get a bird's eye view. "Okay… they're marching in from the ocean. Forcing people inland. They've destroyed a hotel already and everyone is flooding down the Martin Luther King Boulevard."

Tony really was a genius, you know. As he looked around, the visor added in all the detail he needed, street names, building names, where all the Starbucks and Krispy Crèmes were.

_I invented this. Because I'm brilliant. Because I'm more than a fuck toy._

"Someone needs to get to the St Andrew by the Sea Lutheran Church. People are running in for cover and they're going to get trapped in there when the robots come. There's four groups, one coming in from the ocean, a smaller group coming in from the direction of the airport, another from the east and one coming down from inland. The place is just getting boxed in."

Steve voice came, strained and tense over the coms. He had to be fighting hard down there. "Tony, you have to deal with the lot coming from inland, none of us will make it there in time. Where's the biggest flank?"

"Coming in from the ocean. They're heading down the main street, slap bang where you guys are."

"I'll stay here with Hulk. Thor, you have to take the flank coming from the west on your own. Natasha, Barton, take the last."

Not a great plan, but it's all they had right now. Tony flew down towards his allotted targets. The robots weren't fast, but they were solid. It was taking a hell of a lot of effort to take them down. Maybe the only joy of Vanko's metal army is that they had been pretty quick to take down, despite being quicker and packing more of a punch than these guys.

That was typical of the Victor he remembered. He tended to have one goal in mind and bent everything towards it. He was clumpy, single minded and obsessed with structure.

_Yeah. And you're capricious, flighty and obsessed with image. _

_Shut up._

Tony had to give it to Doom. These things weren't attractive, but they were doing what they needed to do and with some admirable skill. While you were busy just trying to take out one, the rest were busy doing damage else were. Knocking them down one by one was impossible. There had to be an easier way.

Tony headed towards the Pop Lloyd Stadium. A group of robots had herded and cornered a group of people in the middle of the grass. The people pushed and panicked, all forced into a tight group, surrounded by death. There were screams and yells as people fell and were trampled by the crowd around them. The robots arms, machine guns protruding from the hands rose and took aim.

The Iron Man landed between them. "Everyone get down!" He bellowed. Everyone hit the floor. Tony's lasers spiralled out, decapitating the eight robots circling them and a few which had been heading in their direction.

Tony shook his arms and the one-shot power supply detached. "Head towards cover, go on, move!" he shouted. People ran, stumbling and fleeing.

Tony was up in the air again, picking off robots. "They're cornering people and just gunning them down," Tony said. "I just saved a few dozen but it's happening everywhere."

"It's a slaughter," Steve spat angrily.

Tony circled down to a road, grabbing the arm of a child who was getting run down by a line of robots and flew him towards the nearest barricade of cop cars.

"Push this back," he commanded the captain. "The line's advancing and it's going to flank you. Back off ten metres at least."

Tony saw a line of robots approaching. He flew at them, knocking off the head of one, shooting two in their visors, ripping the arms off the last. The two with malfunctioning visors staggered around, damaged but still dangerous.

Tony knocked the legs out from under and opened the back of its neck panel. He examined the wires quickly as it flailed, grabbed a wire and pulled hard.

The robot clattered to the ground.

"Alright, listen up," Tony called to his friends. "Robots 101. Knock off the back panel around the neck. Find the wire with the red base under the base plate and pull. Dead robot. Well, offline."

"Got it!" Natasha called and was joined by the affirmations of the others.

Well, that was one thing. But it wasn't the solution Tony had been hoping for. Tony forced the onslaught of robots back, but they kept coming. "I'm going to need a hand on the west side," Tony called. "I got a few hundred sheltering in a hotel and a police cordon looking very bare."

"Hold on, Tony, I'm on the way," Barton shouted.

"Well thank god, Barton, because you know what I was thinking? I was thinking what I really need right now is a guy fighting robots with a bow and arrow."

"Fuck off, Buzz Lightyear."

Tony smiled happily. He and Barton had always had a... it was difficult to pin a label on his and the archer's friendship. In Tony's opinion, at least. Had Pepper been here, she would have had one word for it. _Brothers_.

Tony stayed on the ground, ripping robots apart, avoiding the machine gun fire. Bird in the air, tank on the ground. Tony loved his suit. At one point, he redirected the arm of one robot to knock out its fellows. Old trick, but man was it funny.

"Well, Tony Stark."

Tony turned at the vaguely familiar melodic voice to find the menacing Von Doom was standing above him on the shattered overpass. His dark green robe was swirling around him, his face dark metal and awkwardly familiar. Great. Another villain making a scene. Do these guys work out of the same handbook or something?

"Hannibal Lector," Tony called. "Loved your last movie."

"Still making jokes, Tony?"

"It's skill, I won't deny it."

There was an explosion in the background and the sound of screams and sirens grew more intense against the constant sound of gunfire. The atmosphere seemed to frame him, make him seem taller, more menacing. "Tony, Tony, Tony. _The_ Tony Stark, still an arrogant, self-absorbed playboy. Though you have a great mind, undoubtedly... for your generation."

_Is he calling me old?_

"Loving the robots, by the way," Tony said, giving one at his feet a surreptitious kick. "Very Gort from The Day The Earth Stood Still. Tungsten Titanium alloy? And a uranium core. Nice."

"There are few who can understand, let alone appreciate what I have done here."

"Bit of a weakness," Tony said, holding up the wire with its red base.

"These are but the prototypes. I assure you, Iron Man. I have more in store."

_And these prototypes had so far destroyed one city already and are currently making mincemeat of a second._

"Why? What's in this for you?"

"Destruction."

Tony had to hand it to him. Of the crazy super villains he had previously had this little chat with, this was the first time he couldn't really argue with the answer. "Well, there's going to be plenty of that." Tony fired a rocket at the figure.

Doom didn't move. The rocket collided with him in an explosion of red and yellow flame. He staggered back briefly, and then righted himself. "My turn," he said.

Tony was hit with a bolt of electricity, seemingly coming from nowhere, which should have fired him. But he'd done this dance before. "Jarvis?" He asked.

"Yes sir, power at 200%."

"Brilliant."

Tony launched himself with full thrusters into Von Doom. The two were propelled back and smashed into a building, creating a massive impact crater.

Tony punched the metal face and stared in fascinated horror as the outer casing of his gauntlet cracked. A black clad, claw like hand reached out and grabbed Tony's arm and squeezed. The metal casing already damaged crumpled like paper.

"Well, that's impressive," Tony said.

Doom's fist came out and hit him full in the visor. He was thrown back, but managed to right himself in midair before hitting anything. Jarvis was going crazy, reporting on his systems as Tony blinked and shook his head, trying to stop the ringing.

Doom was striding over to a black case and pulled out a rocket launcher. "You of all people will appreciate this," Doom said taking aim. "This makes a Jericho missile look like a water pistol. Now hold still."

Tony zipped up high into the air and a beeping warned him that the missile had been launched and locked. "Jarvis, what can you tell me?"

An image of the rocket was brought up for Tony to study.

"Might I suggest not getting hit by it, sir?"

"Noted."

Tony's first reaction would have been to try and lose it in the maze of buildings. But if Tony was judging this image right, this was a very powerful load and when this thing exploded, it was going to level a third of the city.

"Guys, I'm leaving the party for a while," Tony called back as he raced the thing out and over the water. "Got a missile locked on me."

"What can we do to help?"

"You can't." Tony deployed counter measures to no avail.

This rocket was advanced. Fuck. Since Tony had left the weapons race, he was afraid that he was going to get over taken. It seemed he was right to be concerned.

Steve was still wittering on like an old hen. "Circle back and let the Hulk-"

"If the Hulk destroys it, it's going to take out a good chunk of the city."

"If you dove into the water-"

"It's going to follow. It's designed to follow anything through anything."

"Then we should-"

"Steve! It's not going to work!" Tony said angrily. Didn't the man know anything? "First thing I have to do is take this thing out as far as possible. Then I'll figure it out. I always think better when I'm about to die."

"Tony, no lone ranger stuff, remember?" Natasha called.

_Boy._

Loki's voice, the one he had spent the last few months hammering into Tony's subconscious reared his beautiful, ugly head and screamed at him. For risking a life which belonged to the god.

_Fucking shit._

If Tony got injured by this thing, he was never going to hear the end of it.

Tony gritted his teeth angrily. "Well you'd better have some plan, _Captain_, because this thing's not a grenade."

Tony made a sharp stop and turn. The missile, with less manoeuvrability, took a moment to flip over and follow. The Iron Man created another sharp turn and managed to put even more distance between him and the rocket. Then he rocketed up into the sky faster than a plane.

Steve came back to him over the coms. His tone was such that Tony realised the Captain can come up with a plan. "Hold on Tony. You're going to have to drop and fast."

Tony was racing the missile up, banking on the height causing ice damage. It was an old trick, which didn't seem to be working. He was freezing faster than the missile and his systems were already icing. "Why?"

"We're going to see how far the Hulk can throw... And how accurately."

"Wonderful," Tony said dryly. "Jarvis. Full thrusters on my go. We're going to be hitting the water hard."

"Sir, I wouldn't advise it."

"Quit being such a nervous ninny."

_You're actually letting the team help. Why? Because you're running out of ideas? Because you're not smart enough to think of your own solution?_

_No… because Loki would kill me if I get hurt._

_Fuck I'm going to kill him for turning me into this._

"Now!" Steve yelled.

Tony spun in mid-air and shot towards the ocean, thrusters and gravity all playing its part to mean when he hit, he hit hard. He dove down almost a mile into the sea.

Above him, a bus flew into the pursuing missile. Even beneath the waves, he felt the implosion. He had to move out the way quickly to avoid the larger clumps of falling metal.

"Tony?" Steve called. "Tony!"

"Keep your spangled knickers on Steve, I'm fine." Tony broke the surface of the water, shooting up and back to the fight. "Where's Doom?"

"I see him," Barton called. "He's still on the Brigantine Boulevard overpass."

Tony made it, cutting down robots in his path. When he found Doom and raised his arms, panels sliding back. "Hey Victor!"

The man spun and glared up.

"Missed me!" Tony fire everything he had at him.

Doom stumbled back and fell. Tony swooped down and grabbed Doom by the neck, throwing him back over the bypass.

Thor was below and attempted to end him. But there was a shattering crash and a crackling ball of light circling Doom. The god glared, seemed to decide that this problem was best dealt with how all problems were, and brought his hammer down hard.

Then Mjölner was thrown back, over his shoulder and through the air. As the light grew brighter, both Thor and Tony staggered back, covering their faces. The crackling in the air was intense.

It stopped all of a sudden. When they looked back, the villain was gone. Thor looked up at the Iron Man, still standing on the bypass, looking down at a large, round burn in the concrete where Doom had stood and had been engulfed in the bubble of electricity.

"What happened?"

Tony chewed his tongue. "I have no idea, though it was very cool."

"Magic?" Thor asked.

Tony rolled his eyes. "Victor is not Loki. This is science. I just don't know how, yet."

"We're going to need to know," Steve called. "If he's going to be able to pull a disappearing act after a stunt like this, we have to know how he's doing it and where he's going."

Tony barely acknowledged him. There were a thousand idea's whirling around his head about what Doom might have done, but there wasn't enough to prove that he _could_ have done it. Clearly Tony was missing something, but he couldn't tell what. It irked him.

Though, he had to hand it to the villain. He had presented a challenge to be solved. And boy did Tony like his mysteries.

"Quite a battle."

Tony turned to see Loki leaning against the bar, watching the scene.

"He got away."

"Oh dear," Loki said, not a little patronisingly.

Tony sighed, rubbing his face. "I'm really beat, Loki. I don't know how much I'm actually going to be able to do tonight."

"But you're not objecting? No fights or arguments?"

"I'm beat," Tony repeated. "I don't want to fight and I don't want you to go. So come on, just don't say I didn't warn you."

Tony rubbed his neck as he walked idly into the bedroom. He pulled his clothes off and slipped into the bed, feeling more exhausted now he was finally lying down on the soft mattress.

His eyes closed, he felt Loki naked body press against his, lips running across his brow and kissing the furrowed frown lines away. "Any battle you return from unscathed deserves reward."

"Hum," Tony hummed lazily.

"Turn over."

Tony turned sluggishly and Loki was fondling his hair, patting his back and, inevitably, working his fingers into Tony. Preparing him slowly with oil.

Tony was practically asleep, he should have been asleep, he should have been unconscious after the day he had been through. But… _fucking shit_. Loki was working his magic and suddenly parts of him were more awake than they should have been.

"Oh for the love of-" Tony whined. "I honestly don't know how I'm supposed to live like this."

Loki made gentle hushing sounds in his throat. "Your body will never ask for what it does not need. If you did not need to cum, it would not have been so easy to make you hard."

"It's your fault. It's always your fucking fault."

"Your body knows what it wants and I live to satisfy it and not your contrary mind."

Tony grumbled angrily and began humping his hips back onto the fingers. "Feels nice," he muttered.

"Good."

"I'm ready," Tony said.

Loki didn't waste any time, pushing in and almost immediately hitting that spot.

Tony jerked up, his chest leaping off the bed, arching back, muscles clenching, lights flashing in his eyes. "Oh fuck!" _Well, I'm definitely fucking awake now_. Tony gasped as Loki pounded now almost idly. "Yes! Yes!"

He heard a chuckle behind him as fingers ran through his hair, stoking it up the wrong way before smoothing it down. "It is good to hear you so agreeable."

"Loki, fuck please, Loki!"

Loki made a tsking noise in his throat; pressing down on Tony's head with the hand not holding his hip, forcing Tony's face into the pillow. "Hush, boy. You know full well the best climaxes are drawn from the withholding of pleasure."

Tony whimpered. _Great. Another night of games._

_And all I had wanted to do was go to sleep._

"Yes, Loki," he muttered.

"Good child."

Loki relaxed now into a slower pace, caressing every inch of Tony's sun kissed body. His hips rolled against the boy and Tony momentarily felt his eyes crossing as the cock inside of him seemed to touch everywhere at once.

Tony shifted slightly. His upper body lay on the bed, his legs drawn beneath him. It was a darkly symbolic position for Tony. It was how Loki had first taken a him and for some reason, it made Tony love the position all the more.

"We never really talk…" Loki said softly.

"_You_ talk. You talk all the time, why do you think I'm always so hard?"

Loki laughed, open and honestly, "You make me so happy when you say such lovely things."

"Enough to shut up and fuck me?"

"No."

"Git."

Tony squirmed his hips back, trying to pull a bit more sensation from the god, his earlier exhausted state now forgotten. That was the problem with having a lover with far more skill and stamina than you. Tony was desperate to be forced over that brink into wonderful ecstasy, but Loki would be like this for three times longer than Tony.

_Fucking gods._

The only way Tony would get what he wanted was to cooperate. "What do you want to talk about?"

"That is the conundrum. Will you speak on the Avengers? No. I see the tensing in your shoulders and my question is answered. On Stark Industries then, on the arc reactor. On science."

"Why?" Tony couldn't help the suspicious tone in his voice.

"Does it not occur to you that I enjoy hearing your voice as much as you enjoy mine?"

"You're always telling me to _hush_," Tony argued petulantly.

"Only when I need you to focus on what I am doing to you. But I like to hear you talk, Tony."

Tony licked his lips. "I'm trying to solve the cost issues. The arc reactor is too expensive to be a real, viable alternative to fossil fuels. Oil, gas, coal. Why do you care?"

"You are important. I wish to know what it is you care about, other than your iron mask. I need to know everything."

"Well, first of all, it's not iron. It's a gold-titanium alloy. And you never talk about yourself. You talk. You talk all the time. But you're always talking about me. I don't know anything about your life except what you accidently mutter after you've cum."

"You are my life."

_Fuck. No one's ever said that to me before._ Tony felt the stirring again in his groin as the heat started building in him again. He pressed his hips back desperately. "Fuck me hard, please Loki," he whimpered urgently.

"I want to-"

"We'll go to a restaurant! With candles and music and whatever you want! Or walk on a beach or something, I don't care! But please, please!" Tony's voice was rough and husky with emotion. "Tell me I'm your life again and then _show me_!"

Loki's hand crept under Tony's flat and toned stomach, fingers curling round the long and aching length, fondling slowly. "You are my life, Tony Stark. Now stay still and silent while I pull your world apart."

"Yes!"


	29. Chapter 29: 168 Hours

Tony paced the lab in a temper, hands gasping the curly, hand written letter he had found lying on the kitchen bar this morning. "Son of a bitch – he has no fucking right to _command_ me to do anything!"

"Yes, sir."

"If he thinks that I'm just going to-"

_You swore. You promised. You're going to back out now?_

_Why the fuck not?_

_Because I want this so much I would have gone crawling to him if it hadn't been soon._

Tony breathed out, trying to compose himself. "Fucker. Mother fucker."

Tony threw the letter away. The stupid thing about paper, when you threw it, it rarely did what it was supposed to do. It fluttered in mid-air in a lazy arc and landed back at his feet. Not even the things the God of Mischief _touched_ would do what it was fucking supposed to.

"Call Fury."

There was a pause. "What?"

Tony rolled his eyes at the tone coming from the speakers. "What? Bad time? Don't tell me you have a private life, because I won't believe it."

Fury sounded impatient. Probably for the best, Tony thought. This way, he wouldn't want to spend a great deal of time arguing. "What do you want, Stark?"

"I'm taking a break. From the Avengers. I'm off."

"For how long?" Fury snapped.

Tony glared at the paper at his feet with rising bile. "168 hours, to be precise."

Tony was late. Of course he was. Why the hell should he be on time for the bastard? He strolled up with a travelling carry bag ten minutes after four to the spot where Loki had described in his letter. He could see why, it was completely in a camera blind spot in the middle of Central Park. Trees surrounded the area, making things dark and eerie.

"Why here and not at Stark Tower?" he asked.

Loki glided out of a shadow like the fucking showman he was.

_I'm a fucking showman. I'm just pissed he does it better than I do._

"If I were to appear in Stark Tower and drag you away, you would have that to hold on to. But no, you delivered yourself to me like the desperate, wanton little thing you are."

"Ah-ha. Let's push on shall we? It's cold out here."

Loki's eyes wandered down to the carry bag and sneered. "It's a wonder you've brought clothes. You will not be needing them."

Tony rolled his eyes. "Whatever."

Loki walked up to him, lips temptingly close before walking around him lethargically yet still predatorily. "So, this is Tony Stark. Out of his tower and before he remembers what he was made for. These few minutes before you remember your place and are still trying to assert yourself. Build your defiance up like a house of cards and I will tear it down. When you remember your place, you will melt in a pool at my feet."

Tony glanced at his watch pointedly.

Loki grabbed his neck violently, pulling him close. This was different from the inter-realm travel he had done with Thor. This was like getting turned inside out and back again. His vision went dark and blurred, then snapped back again like nothing happened.

Tony fell backwards as the warping around him stopped and landed heavily on a stone floor.

"Remove your clothes."

"What the fuck-"

"Remove them, now!"

"Give me a chance," Tony snapped, still trying to work out which way was up. "What the fuck was that?"

A knife pressed against his neck. Tony yelled and grabbed the hand, trying to push it away but the strength was too much.

"Okay, okay, okay!" Tony soothed, starting on his top buttons. "Just relax, Loki. I'm just a little dizzy, that's all."

"Do not pretend at meekness now, little slut. Do you think that I would simply forgive your purposeful lateness? Your petty arrogance?"

_It seemed like a good idea at the time. Why the fuck had I deliberately tried to piss him off?_

"You will be punished."

_Ah,_ Tony thought with a growing smile as he shed his clothes quickly. _That's why._

"Put your clothes in the bag. I will put it back in the tower. There is nothing in there you'll need."

Tony gazed up and found the god was actually serious. When Loki had whispered those dirty words, telling Tony he would spend a wonderful, terrible week naked, collared and on his knees, Tony had believed it to be no more than fantasy.

He swallowed and, with deliberate astuteness, smiled that little smile he knew Loki loved on him. _That smile_ which Loki always sighed at. Cheeky, charming, innocent. Loki's little boy. "Might get a little chilly."

"The room is heated. There are blankets on the bed - you will not be leaving the bed. I have spent a great deal of time thinking about this week, boy."

_Boy._ That was good. Loki seemed to be calming down. Play the game.

"You think of everything," Tony said with a soft laugh, packing away his clothes.

"I think of nothing but you."

_Oh that's not fair. Fuck. Did he really have to say that? And with that voice? I can already feel myself getting hard._

Tony waited, kneeling naked on the stone floor. Loki left the room momentarily to put away the bag. The boy looked up when he thought he was alone.

It was a large stone room with a wooden floor and ceiling. There seemed to be a bathroom hidden by a gold room divider. There was nothing here but a high back leather chair next to a fireplace, a couple of heavy wooden cabinets and a large, circular bed in the middle of the room.

Tony's small smile dropped as he realised something that should have been obvious. Like one of those brain teaser pictures where something blatantly obvious was missing yet you still couldn't see it until it was pointed out. He stood shakily, his eyes wide.

"Did I say you could get off your knees?" said a school-teacher voice behind him.

"Loki?"

"Yes my love?"

"Where the fuck is the door?"

"What door?"

Tony turned, angry and not a little bit scared. "Rooms have doors," he said slowly and furiously.

Loki smiled like the evil bastard he was. In the same slow, patronising voice he said, "This one doesn't." He laughed at Tony's growl of rage. "I have never lied to you, my sweet love. No doors, no windows. My constant dream is to put you away in a box, safe and sound, and take you out only to play."

Tony realised he was trembling. "And at the end of the week?" he said quietly.

Loki pursed his lips as his eyes traversed the ceiling. "We shall see."

Tony stumbled backwards, only to find Loki darting toward and holding him in his arms soothingly. "Shhh shh shh, my sweet, my pet, my boy. Relax. I merely jest."

Lips were pressing against the pulsing jugular vein in his neck as Tony forced his breathing to slow. He'd been on the verge of panic.

"A deal is a deal, as you say. 168 hours, no more, no less. It is no more than a fantasy of mine to keep you here, but in reality I would never dare. I fear it would break you. Hurt your soul, though you do not believe in it, I do. Beautiful, wild creature that you are, captivity would not suit you."

Tony closed his eyes. "I fucking hate you."

"I cannot regret any action I take which makes you so happy."

"Do I look fucking happy to you right now!?"

"Yes," Loki breathed against Tony's ear, one hand slipping down and grasping his erect cock. Tony hissed. "Yes, my boy. I'm afraid you do. I think you share a secret desire to be locked away, even if you don't wish to be."

Loki moved away as Tony took a moment to compose himself. He looked around and found his arms were covering himself unconsciously. He growled at his ludicrous embarrassment and forced them to his sides. It's not like Loki hadn't seen him naked a thousand times before.

"You're seriously not going to give me anything to wear?"

"Yes, here it is." Tony turned and saw Loki holding up the leather collar he was already familiar with. His stomach did glorious summersaults. "On your knees and crawl to me. Now."

A hundred different spiteful, mocking, jovial and downright rude remarks all came rushing into his mouth, begging to be said. Tony bit his tongue and dropped to his knees, feeling his insanely treacherous cock growing harder and warmer.

He crawled submissively and couldn't help but picture how his swaying ass must look. He swallowed when he came to Loki's feet.

"Do you want this?" Loki asked, teasingly stroking Tony's face with the leather.

"Just make me. Why do I have to beg?"

"Because I'm tired of living in your thoughts as the evil oppressor. It is time for you to come to understand what you are. Now, beg for you collar, or I will take you back to Stark Tower."

_Take the fucking trip back! Nothing is worth your fucking pride!_

"Please... put the collar on me. I want to be collared and fucked and punished."

_Enjoy the sex all you want. Just understand that every moment of this is dragging you further and further away from the Tony Stark and the Iron Man._

_And how much happiness has either of those brought me? Tony Stark peddled death and the Iron Man lost me Pepper. _

"Good boy," Loki praised and Tony shuddered as he heard the snap.

Tony looked up with starry eyes. "Thank you."

The first day and Tony was ready to sleep for a month. He had been punished, strung up and beaten. Ten strikes with a cane for every minute late. His back, ass and thighs were littered with a hundred perfect red lines. Then Loki had fucked him where he hung from the ceiling.

He was pulled onto the bed and sucked back into hardness once more until he was mewling and clawing at the sheets, begging for his climax. Which, of course, wasn't granted. Loki had demanded attention to his own erection before Tony was finally allowed to cum, humping the bed like an animal in heat.

A few hours later, once he had eaten and bathed in a large, gold tub, Loki had demanded it all over again. Tony felt like his body was going to shatter.

"Good?" Loki would ask gently after each act of domination.

"More," Tony would moan, and Loki would smile and kiss him.

Day two proved just as strenuous. He was spread out over the circular bed on his stomach, pillows piled under his hips, presenting his perfect ass to his god. Tony whimpered as Loki slid into him.

"It should not be possible to cum so many times in one day," he muttered in protest.

"I am a god, Tony."

"I wasn't talking about you."

Loki wasn't rushing. Tony had begun to get the impression that this wasn't meant to be a week of wild sex. Loki was just… Loki just wanted to be with Tony, in a bizarre way. He wanted to be in Tony. Covered in Tony. Possess Tony. Tony realised, in a sick and twisted way, he had never felt more valued, more wanted, more coveted in his entire life. Loki wanted every inch of him. Loki wanted to drown himself in Tony.

For a playboy who demanded that the attentions of all were on him, this was almost... almost paradise.

The god glided in and out with long strokes, but his main focus was on the petting, the licks and bites on Tony's neck, shoulder and back. Fingers were gliding over and over the scars on his lower back. "My boy."

"Always," Tony breathed. The sensation was incredible as Loki's pelvis worked against him. "That feels so good."

"My boy approves."

"Yessss," Tony hissed.

Loki twisted Tony's upper body and while his hips were pinned to the bed by Loki's thrusts, more pillows were pushed against his back so he could lean comfortably. Loki held him there, wrapping an arm around him to keep him still and supported as he kissed him deeply.

Tony sighed and shivered, tilting his head back to give Loki a better angle. "Fuck this is better than saving the world," he sighed with a chuckle.

Loki frowned in vague annoyance. He tipped his hips, thrusting down hard and bumping right up against Tony's prostate. Tony's eyes widened in shock as his body jumped involuntarily. He let out a babbled a cry of ecstasy.

"I should hope so," muttered Loki in displeasure. His hips were fixed in that position, pounding that magic spot again and again and again. Tony couldn't look away from Loki's eyes, his eyes locked on that stern face, his own face a mask of helpless pleasure, gasping hard with every stroke.

"Yes! Yes! Yes!" Tony whispered with every pound, his nails raking down the firm muscles in Loki's arm as his eyes dilated, turning the colour in the world around him sharp and bright. "D-Don't st-stop, don't stop! Yes!"

"Being my personal whore is better than being the Iron Man," Loki hissed. The sentiment had apparently pissed him off. Typical Tony to just open his mouth and cause this much trouble for himself. "Say it!"

"Being, your, w-whore, is," His mind on autopilot, purely concerned with his climax, Tony was gasping out every word as the pounding became harder. "Better than, oh, fuck, Loki!" He was so near now, he was hanging on the very edge.

Loki's hips stopped dead. Tony howled and reached for his cock. Loki grabbed the wrist, holding it back. "Say it!"

"Fuck y-"

"You _really_ don't want to say that, boy."

Tony stared into those resplendent, merciless eyes and kissed the lips almost in an act of supplicant. "Being here, with you like this, is better than being in the Avengers."

Hopefully Loki wouldn't look too unkindly on the rewording. Even in his lust addled mind, Tony couldn't bring himself to admit that maybe, just maybe, Loki was bringing him a deeper happiness than he could ever gain from being a hero.

Loki had noticed it, of course. His eyes were hard but he finally seemed to relent. "Don't touch yourself. Your orgasms belong to me."

Tony nodded and whimpered thanks as the pounding began again. Loki let him teeter on the bink for several long, glorious and painfully agonising minutes before reaching down and jerking him off deliciously. Tony bucked and wailed, cumming all over the bed.

When he was finally done, Loki lay over Tony's slick, heated body, shuddering for self-control. The god remained completely still, breathing hard. Tony could feel that his orgasm had excited Loki and the man had been close to the edge himself.

Finally, he sighed out, regaining his restraint and began thrusting in and out again. Slowly, unrushed. Loki had always teased and threatened Tony with his godlike stamina. But, out of an understanding that their time would always be brief, the stamina had rarely come into play.

Now though, Loki was enjoying his natural ability to hold himself back for longer than any mortal. Tony grumbled pitifully, feeling the slow, luxurious pace of the thrusts and knowing Loki was nowhere close to being done with him yet.

Tony shuddered, his body sticky with sweat, lying here in the remains of his last (and probably last before that) orgasm. Tony had never before in his life felt more used for sex. It was living it, covered in it and breathing it, and Loki just wouldn't stop for anything.

"Just cum, Loki," Tony said, trying to sound like he was weary of the god's attentions. Instead, it sounded piteous and pleading.

"Be still and silent, boy. Nothing is required of you but to remain still."

"You're going to make me hard again," Tony muttered angrily, knowing it to be a certainty.

"You poor thing," Loki said scornfully. He lay over Tony's back, rubbing his face into his hair and breathing in his scent like a large cat. "And when you are, I will cum and you will not. You will be forced to do all manner of naughty things before I allow you to."

Tony whined dully, but closed his eyes, relaxing into the inevitability.

Day three and Tony began to seriously worry for his sanity. As a natural born social butterfly, or a crazed lonely scientist, he had only ever been in a large crowd, the centre of attention or alone in his lab. Only one other time in his life had he been trapped in a closed room with one other person and he most certainly hadn't been sleeping with Yinsen.

Now, he had spent practically fifty hours in a bed with an equally naked god working his body into an early grave. It was an intense situation and one which he had never believed he would survive. To spend two days with someone is fine, but you always knew that you could get up and walk away if the other person started to get on your nerves.

Tony couldn't do that here. In fact, halfway through day one when he had declared the whole thing to be stupid and tried to leave the bed. Loki had been very, very angry about that and by the time he was finished... _correcting_ Tony, Tony couldn't remember why he could have possibly wanted to leave in the first place.

So Tony didn't put up a struggle while Loki explored his body, and in turn, Loki would listen to Tony talk about anything he wanted. He spent hours talking about everything and nothing. And what was thrilling is that even though Loki would be licking Tony's stomach, or playing with his hair, or rubbing his back, he was still listening to every word and would even make sensible replies. He was even funny, making Tony laugh despite of himself.

In fact, everything Loki was doing was making it clear that his little boy was the centre of his world.

The days took its toll on Tony though. Loki was forced to hold Tony up in the bed while feeding him soups and water. Tony was worn through, drained in every way. But when he should have been shouting stop, begging to be let go on the mercy of whatever love Loki professed to have for him, he didn't. He wanted it. He wanted more. It was just a shame he couldn't move without assistance.

"If you accepted the binding, tying your soul to mine, you would have more energy to please me."

Tony didn't have the energy to tell him to _fuck off_. "We should have a safe word," he murmured instead.

Loki cocked his head, his hand stroking Tony's chest gently, fingers playing with the metal of the arc reactor. "Safe word?"

"When… you know. People who do this stuff. They have a word that means you have to stop."

Loki frowned and shook his head. "Seems counter intuitive. It is not the submissive who has the control. It is the dominant. The submissive should not have supremacy over their possessor."

Tony didn't even have the energy to roll his eyes. _It's a sad state of affairs when you don't even have the strength to give a god the middle finger. _"It's not about… the sub should never have to use it. It's for emergencies."

"If the dominant simply ignores the word? If the dominant knows best?"

"Whatever," Tony muttered. He was too tired.

"Would you like a safe word?"

Tony snorted. "Would you listen?"

Loki was silent. To Tony's honest surprise, the man actually seemed to be deeply considering the proposal. "Yes."

Tony swallowed. "I… I don't know."

Loki ran his hand through his own long, luxurious black hair, then smiled in that devious, sly way that made Tony weak inside. "How about 'Fury'?"

Tony's mouth opened. "That is so wrong on so many levels. Yeah. Let's go with Fury."

Loki laughed in open delight at Tony's approval. "I want to take you right now."

"Not exactly in a position to argue."

Loki looked ruefully down at him. "I cannot. I have a very special game planned for later. You must recover. You must sleep. It will be no fun if you cannot move."

The promise of a special game did wonders to Tony's recovery rate. By the end of the day he was back, admittedly weakly, on his feet. He suddenly felt naked… alright, he was naked, but recently that hadn't mattered.

Writhing on a bed with an insane god wrapped around your body was one thing. It didn't help that Loki himself was now fully clothed and not taking him. It only served to illustrate Tony's new found purpose and place in their relationship. Loki clothed, powerful, in command. Tony, locked in a room with no escape, completely reliant on Loki, naked and collared.

He pushed down his mounting arousal. It was easy to do with the anger slowly building in his chest. He reached for a blanket on the bed.

"Leave it," Loki commanded.

"It's cold," Tony lied.

"I want you naked, boy."

"And I don't want to get pneumonia."

"Oh I promise, I'll keep you warm."

Tony dropped the corner of the plush blanket with bad grace and walked over to Loki. He indicated a chair. Tony sat down and was immediately ensnared by leather straps enclosing his arms and legs. He swore and fought the bindings, angry and frustrated.

Loki was walking away from him, ignoring the exclamations. He returned with a large plate of food. Tony glared, panting hard, holding back further swearing until he'd thoroughly assessed the situation. Loki placed the dish on his knees and began cutting the meat and vegetables into small chunks. Occasionally, he'd eat delicately.

Eventually, he looked up, quite as though he'd forgotten Tony was in the room. "Settled down?"

Tony gritted his teeth. Loki gathered up... chicken? And some vegetables onto the fork and held it in front of Tony's mouth.

Tony stared. "No way."

"Open wide, boy."

"Go to hell."

Loki smiled and leaned in. He planted a small, gentle kiss on the corner of Tony's lips. "Tony." breathed Loki. "Sitting before you is a man of infinite patience. Sitting before you is a man who dreamt of you and what he'd do to you for a year. I am a god who has lived for a thousand years and who will live for thousands more." Loki's mouth was against Tony's ear now. Tony stared straight ahead, anger, arousal and... fear all pressing against his chest. "Boy... the stars will fall into the sea before I will tire of this. Sit for as long as you will like. All that will happen is... the food will get cold."

Tony found he was panting, shaking slightly at the situation. There hadn't really been a time where Tony couldn't summon a single smart-alec thing to say. He was stuck now. With Loki, these moments were becoming far too common.

Tony... closed his eyes. Opened them. Sat still for what seemed like hours. And...

"Good boy," Loki breathed, feeding the chicken into his mouth.

Tony swallowed. "Well you're hardly Wolfgang Puck are you?" he quipped.

"I am sorry," Loki said meekly, but with a glitter in the eyes which suggested he wasn't in the least. He picked up a glass of wine from the floor with a chuckled, "I'm sure this will be more to your liking," and placed it at Tony's lips.

Tony took a long drink, taking comfort in the familiar burn of alcohol to save him from the completely alien situation.

"I am enjoying this immensely," Loki said with a brilliant smile. "We should do this all the time."

Tony glared. "We could get reservations at the Masa, you know. It's not difficult, I know the owner."

"If they will allow you there to dine naked, I have no objections."

"This is so fucking childish."

"Open wide."

It continued seemingly forever. Tony was still livid, the heat rising in his face and his eyes burnt, but he opened his mouth as Loki fed him slowly. The meal passed in silence, Loki's gaze fixed on him as he ate. Tony avoided his eyes, staring at the back wall.

When the meal was finally done, Loki took a minute, letting his fingers trace the metal of the arc reactor then run down his stomach, stroking a flank lovingly. The hand moved up his thigh and to his erect cock.

_It's fucking cold in here. This isn't arousal, this is biology. Who gets turned on by being fed like a child?_

Loki's fingers delicately stroked the head.

_It's not about being fed. It's about being obsessed over._

Loki's obsession with Tony was feeding the playboy's every need to be wanted.

Tony growled angrily. Loki smiled cruelly and untied him from the chair.

Tony was immediately on his feet, walking away. But the fucking problem with this fucking room was there was nowhere he could fucking go! He stared at anything but the demented god behind him. He would rather take on the Hulk with nothing but a plastic fork than admit how much he had... "Your game sucked."

"That was dinner, Tony, not a game."

His spirits lightened slightly. But he still shot back a livid glare. "Everything with you is a game."

"And you love it, boy."

Tony looked away. _Yes._

"Get on the bed."

"You get on the fucking bed," Tony muttered petulantly.

Loki breathed out in an exasperated tone and threw himself into the large chair. It was facing the bed and Loki sprawled out, one leg cocked over the arm rest. He had the large glass of red wine with him. He was the very imagine of silent, sophisticated, arrogant power.

Tony knelt in the middle of the soft round bed. "Well?"

Loki smiled. "You might want to take a moment to compose yourself."

"I bore easily."

Lips were suddenly at his neck. As Tony yelped and moved away, Loki… _Loki's clone_ grabbed him and pulled him back. Again, all those months ago, a whispered story, a lustful fantasy pouring from Loki's mouth looked as though it was about to come true.

_Fucking hell, no way!_

Tony looked at Loki, the one in the chair. "Seriously man, look, I'm sorry, I-" Tony jumped and moaned as the Loki clone's hand wrapped around his ever traitorous cock and began stroking gently. Tony mouth opened and he crooned. The other hand travelled up his chest to stroke and twist his nipples. Tony winced responsively and ground his hips back against the solid length behind him.

"Loki, please, I'm not sure I can do this. Even I have standards. Okay, they're not high standards, but I- Fuck!" The solid cock was now pushing into him with a relentless force. In this position, kneeling up on the bed, Loki – the one behind him – had to push hard to get in.

"Spread your legs," the clone whispered. "Quickly, boy."

Tony did and Loki, the clone, pushed harder. It was opening Tony wide, painfully, amazingly. The pounding wouldn't be deep, but the penetration itself was so brutal it made Tony gasp with a stupid smile on his face. _So tight!_

"Loki this is just too weird, I-" His head had been arching back over the shoulder of the Loki behind him as the man had licked his neck. But the clone grabbed his head and forced him to look back at the Loki in the chair.

The god was still there, still smiling, drinking his glass of wine, his eyes fixed on Tony's expression. "Don't fight it, Tony. You can't tell me you haven't dreamed about this? All alone, humping your bed and revelling in the image of your twisted desire."

_How the fuck does he know these things?!_

"Not the same! Not the same!" Tony protested in an agonised gasp as Loki, the other one, ground in and out of him while pumping Tony's cock with all the skill Tony knew the original had. "What you fantasize about alone doesn't count! Everyone knows that!" Tony panted with the strain of the situation.

He pushed against the Loki behind him anxiously. "This is you, isn't it? The clone is the one watching, not you. Not you."

_And why exactly do you think that makes this better?_

Loki (in the chair) laughed. "Believe that if you want, boy."

"It has to be. You want to feel me, you want to be in me," Tony said, wildly trying to apply logic to this completely insane situation. "You can't feel me over there."

Loki shook his head. "Yes I can. I can see and hear and feel everything my clones do. I've set myself a bit of a challenge tonight, Tony. _I'm going to hold out as long as I can_."

The Loki clone, if it was a clone, whispered in his ear, "You, however my darling boy, will cum as many times as I can pull from your young body."

Tony shuddered as his head was pulled round and the Loki behind him dominated his mouth. One hand was on his hip, the other holding his face still, rubbing his thumb across the goatee. The sensation was almost electric.

"Humm, that's right boy. Let me take your tongue between my teeth. Yes, yes! That's it."

That was wrong. That was so wrong to know that the tongue that was down his throat wasn't the one whispering those wonderful words from across the room. His cock twitched hard.

Tony yelped and fought back as he felt a hand, a third hand reach out and grasp his cock in a tight grip. One knotted in his hair, keeping his head caught in the kiss, one wrapped around his waist, keeping his hips still as the clone thrust. Now a third hand pumping his cock delicately.

No, no, no, no, this is just too weird. It has to stop. Now. Now. He had a safe word didn't he?

_Use it! Come on! Say Fury! _

_For fuck's sake Tony!_

Tony was pulled out of the kiss with one Loki, only to be brought into an equally intense kiss with the other now on the bed. He mewled, holding the shoulders of this new one as the other pounded into his body. The Loki dominating his mouth reached around his body, grabbing the cheeks of his ass and stretching him wider. Giving the other Loki deeper access.

That's messed up. One Loki helping the other Loki to fuck him to oblivion. This is just too wrong and it's time to call stop. Now. Right now. Any minute now. Tony thrust his body against Loki, kissing him furiously, holding on to his shoulders and stroking the black hair over and over again.

"I want you, I want you," Tony whined into the mouth as his hands rubbed all the creamy white skin he could find.

His gazed flickered over the shoulder of the Loki he was holding on to desperately to see the seat still filled. Three Lokis. Three Lokis in one room. Three Lokis all obsessed with making him cum in the most insane way he had ever done in his life.

"This is so messed up," he whined at the Loki in the chair.

Loki smiled. "I know. Isn't it just delicious?"

Tony's hand desperately plucked at his erection, but three identical voices said, "No, boy."

Tony choked back a manic laugh as his hand was pulled away. _Fuck this cannot be happening!_

"If you're so desperate to use that hand, use it here," the Loki in his arms whispered. Tony found his hand being closed over Loki's cock and he stroked it furiously.

Tony was being pushed hard by the one behind him and as the pounding against his prostate grew ever more intense, he found himself almost crawling off the bed to avoid it. The other Loki held him tight, gently whispering encouragements into his ear, telling him to focus on stroking Loki's cock rather than his own sensation. Tony rubbed harder, feeling the length slipping in and out of his hand wonderfully.

"You're doing so well, my boy," said the Loki from the chair.

A hand stroked his hair soothingly. "So well," said the one pounding into him.

"Th-this is s-so wrong," Tony panted, grinding his ass back onto Loki's cock while his hand stroked as quickly and powerfully as he could on Loki's cock in front of him.

_If it's so wrong, why are you so desperate? Why are you secretly hoping it never ends? _

_It's Loki's fault. He did this to me._

_Sure. You believe that if you want to._

The Loki behind pulled him back up and kissed him. Tony whimpered as the other Loki on the bed pulled him back on his lips. He was being used by both; his attention was being demanded by both. _As though one fucking prima donna wasn't enough to deal with._

As he broke away from yet another kiss, gasping for breath, he turned, shaking violently with the force of the fucking and the strain of the situation on his body and mind, to see Loki still sitting in his chair.

Tony whined out a cry, but still didn't call stop. "This is too much, I can't!"

"Yes you can."

"Loki please! It's not right!"

"Hush now, don't fret. I know what you need."

The Loki in front pulled him unceremoniously to his hands and knees. He guided Tony's mouth to a long cock.

"I know why you are so anxious. This is what you've been missing, isn't it my love?" the Loki, guiding his cock to Tony's lips, whispering gently.

"No, no, I ne-need this to stop."

"I shouldn't have been so selfish as to hold this back from you, boy. You'll feel so much better once you've got me in your mouth."

The Loki behind him slapped his ass with stinging force. Tony's mind descended into the black lust only Loki had ever inspired in him. "Oh to fucking hell with it," he berated and swallowed the cock with gleeful recklessness.

He was lost in sex and sensation. It was Loki and that was all that mattered. He responded to the thrusting now, throwing his hips back wildly, willingly greeting the strength behind him. He sucked and licked the cock in his mouth.

_Oh and he was so right._ Tony had needed Loki in his mouth. It gave him something other than himself to focus on. It made this just that little more bearable. A hand was jerking him off powerfully. Painfully. Tony's eyes were rolling back in his head as he hurtled towards his climax. He came, thrashing around, choking on the shaft pressed into his throat.

When he was finally still, he was turned over. Legs in the air, Loki pushed back in and didn't stop. The cruel bastard had tipped his head over the side of the bed now and he was staring at the original Loki as he was pounded even harder.

The other Loki was leaning in, capturing his spent cock between his lips. It was too tender, too sore and Tony winced in pain. "Fuck no! No! I can't!"

"Yes you can."

"You have to stop!"

"Do I?"

"Fuck it, Loki, you're going to kill me!"

Loki nodded. "I think we agreed, didn't we? And I will honour that agreement. Say the word. _The_ _word_. And I will stop."

Tony swallowed. The clones didn't show any sign of stopping. He felt a choking sob in his throat. "P-please I can't take it."

"Isn't that the point of the safe word? Say the word, and I will call off the clones. It's so simple."

_Say Fury!_

_No! I don't want to say it!_

"Loki, please, stop this!"

Loki made a hushing sound in his throat with a tender smile. "Boy, I don't think you know what you want. Your exit is clear, the word is on the tip of your tongue, but you do not _want_ this to stop. Oh my darling. You're exhausted and confused. Just relax and have another orgasm. Then decide what you want."

"Fuck you, I can't!" Tony snapped weakly, whining like an overtired child.

But against all belief his cock was hardening again, Loki's… Loki's _clone's_ mouth working wonders on his body. The black haired head was bobbing back and forth now as Tony's feet began to point, hooking round the other's Loki's neck. His hips where arching up and his mouth was opening wide. His hands flailed, trying to find something to grab to support himself.

"Yes you can. And you will. When you have screamed out again, then we will have another little talk like the civilized men we're not and decide if you can be pushed for a third." Loki drank his wine delicately as his boy began to squirm and plead for release.


	30. Chapter 30: Here

Tony felt the clones leave him, two climaxes later. He was lying in the middle of the bed feeling sore and vulnerable and weak. It was a good sore. He felt virtually paralysed. He watched helplessly as the original Loki stood from the chair, finally, shedding his clothes piece by piece and sauntering over.

Long fingers stroked his face. "Mouth or ass, boy?"

Tony licked his lips. "Mouth."

"Mouth what?"

"Mouth, god."

Tony opened as it slid in. He closed his lips around it and was grateful that all Loki needed was him to stay still as he thrust. None of the Lokis had cum. Tony supposed they couldn't really. The real Loki had sat calmly, feeling every second of it and held back until now. _Talk about will power_. One hand held his head still and the cock plunged in and out. Tony felt so… full and calm. Floating on a haze of need finally satisfied.

All his life he had felt the ache of… something. Power? Money? Approval? Love? Was it really just as simple as he had needed a good hard, violent fuck by a Nordic god? Correction, one Nordic god and two clones. Maybe. All Tony knew was he felt whole and he wasn't in the mood to over analyse.

Above him Loki groaned out something that sounded like an Asgardian curse, pulled out of the tired mouth and stroked himself to climax. The boy felt it against his hip, dripping down slowly. Tony smiled. He was grateful; at this point, he was so drowsy it probably would have drowned him.

Loki looked weak and spent. He clambered over Tony and wrapped himself around his boy's body, pulling a blanket over them.

"I love you."

Loki's green eyes opened. "I believe that is the first time you have said that to me, Tony Stark."

Tony didn't reply, looking away. Loki's lips pressed against his cheek. "I love you Tony. And I will never be free of you, as you will never be free of me. Now sleep. You still have 90 hours of servitude left when you awaken."

_You told him you loved him._

Tony shuddered as he felt the sleep clawing at him and Loki's lips on his shoulders. _Fuck. I'm falling in too deep._

xxx

Day Five. Tony woke up and groaned as he still felt Loki's lips on his back. Maybe Loki hadn't stopped kissing him all night.

"Get off," Tony muttered without any conviction.

"How disappointed would you be if I complied?" said the purring voice behind him.

_Pretty disappointed, actually._

Tony didn't answer. He stretched out a little and moved up onto his elbows. He winced as the ache piled back in, but he found himself smiling. Tony had never been really afraid of pain any more than pleasure. Both pain and pleasure showed you that you were alive. The only thing Tony had ever feared was not being able to feel. Now he was feeling all the time.

_I'm alive again._

"What's on the agenda today? Fucking, fucking and more fucking."

"Watch your language or you shall be gagged, as well as collared, boy. I'm going to teach you how to worship."

For a second, Tony didn't exactly follow. His mind was sluggish in this room and, like a little boat on a lake, entirely dependent on the direction of the forces around it. In truth, he was mostly being driven by whichever way his lust was taking him. "Worship what?"

"Your god."

"I'm not religious."

"And as I say, I'm going to teach you. It will be pleasing for me to see you in such a way."

Tony rolled his eyes and flopped back down onto the bed. "I don't do role play."

"Neither do I. Who else would I wish you to be? None better than you come to mind. But that does not mean I cannot improve what is already mine."

"Hey, no one _improves_ me."

"Perhaps that is why you need me."

Tony found he was being dragged off the bed. Despite his angry protestations, he was pulled onto the floor and left in a crumpled heap. His body throbbed with the ache of last night, but other parts of him tingled with a new expectation.

Loki walked past and pointed at a spot in the middle of the room. "Here."

"_Here_?" Tony repeated angrily, baulking at the word.

"Here, boy." Loki smiled, knowing exactly what he was doing.

Tony hissed and grumbled for a good long minute and then crawled to the spot indicated. "Freaking fucker," he spat.

_Did he tell you to crawl?_

_No._

_Then why did you?_

Tony shuddered slightly as he tried to answer that one and failed.

Loki walked away and pulled open one of the cabinets which so far had not had much use. He pulled out a crop and returned. "For correction only," he said with a smile. "Now, when you worship, you must understand why you are doing it."

"Because a psychopath has locked me in a room without a way out. Seriously. It's like I'm in a fucking X-rated Saw movie."

"That will be your last comment of the morning, Tony."

"Unlikely." Tony winced; his comment met with a heavy slap from the crop against his thigh.

He glanced down as the skin stung and a delicate red mark appeared. He smiled, sucking in a breath. He was alive.

"You will do this, Tony. You will learn to worship me and you will know then how to beg for mercy when the time comes when you really, truly try me. Look me in the eye, boy and tell me it's unlikely to happen."

_Well that would be a lie. Of course it's going to happen._

Loki's tone now took on a school teacher like air. "First, we attend to position. Sit back on your legs, head facing forward, arms resting on your thighs. Do it now boy."

Tony obeyed, grudgingly. _If you want to play the game you have to follow the rules._ Tony cheated with life, but he didn't often cheat in games. He'd cheat in his business dealings, cheat on his girlfriends, cheat death, but he'd never held a card up his sleeve in poker. Explain that one. Just part of the conundum that was Tony.

"Good. Very good." Loki spent few moments circling before starting on his speech. Tony shuddered as fingers ran through his hair, stroking it up in the wrong directions before smoothing it back down. "Why do you worship? It is not an act to be committed mindlessly or it should not be attempted at all. When you worship, you open your mind and soul to your god, allowing him into your very being and such a thing should not be done idly."

"Has anyone ever mentioned your ego is the size of-" Tony hissed as the crop now came down on his ass.

"Do you want to end the game, Tony? Worship is an act of devotion. Of prostration. A demonstration you recognize a force greater than yourself. It can be synonymous with love, or simply subjugation."

_Fuck, he is so in psycho god mode right now. It's enough to make you spit._

Tony gritted his teeth as the sermon continued. This is exactly why he had stopped going to church the minute he didn't have to. Firstly, it was boring as hell. Secondly, it was this message that they were trying to drive into him, that there might be some great supernatural force sitting on a cloud which was better than him.

Well, clearly the cloud guy hadn't met Tony Stark. Tony Stark was better than any god and had the admirers to prove it.

A slap against his cheek woke him up. "I do not appreciate being ignored, Tony."

"Maybe if you had anything to say worth listening to-" Tony bit back the word hard as his head was wrenched back by the hair and agonising slaps rained down on this thighs.

Loki stopped after maybe half a dozen. "You're beginning to make me very angry, boy. You can play, or be played with. I'm giving you one last chance to make the decision for yourself or I will make it for you."

Tony ground his teeth for a while, before sighed frustrated and bitterly confessing, "I want to play. It's just… difficult," he finished with a mutter.

"I know. A man such as yourself admitting that he is the weaker party. That he is the worshiper, and not the worshipped. I do not envy your position, which is why I am so good to you, my little boy. Do not laugh so. I could be very, very nasty. And yet you cum and squirm for joy constantly under my care. Are not you grateful to your god for his mercy?"

"Yes," Tony said hoarsely.

"Do you not wish to demonstrate that you appreciate me?"

"Yes."

"Do you want our time to end?"

"… No."

"Are you prepared to beg? For that is what prayer is. A whispered plea to a god that favours will be received. I have already taught you to pray, Tony. You are a natural at prayer and it has pleased me greatly." Loki was back now into his easy circling, occasionally reaching out and stroking Tony's face or hair. "But we talk of worship, which is different to prayer. And while there are different ways, it is always preformed with the same heart. _Humble_, Tony. That is the word on which I believe you should focus. If it's possible… ha! Don't scowl so. Now I want you to close your eyes and think of me and nothing but."

Tony's insides were squirming in embarrassment and anger. This was so stupid. He closed his eyes and just cursed and swore internally. When he finally opened them again as nothing more had come from the god, it was to see the man above him, sitting on a chair in front of him. The green eyes were locked on him.

There was a long silence. Tony shrugged. "Now what?"

Loki didn't answer. Just stared. Tony muttered a bad word and closed his eyes. He thought about his latest suit design. He thought about perhaps trying to create a form of invisibility like the Helicarrier. That would be useful.

He opened his eyes again and glared at the god but didn't get any manner of response. Shifting uncomfortably, he tried to gauge how long he had been sitting here. It felt like an hour, though that was probably an exaggeration.

He thought about the progress he was making on the transport. He was almost ready to start construction of the engine to test its power. He thought about the Avengers and what they were doing. He thought about Pepper and what she might be doing. He thought about everything and nothing, and anything but Loki.

Tony scoffed angrily, rolling his shoulders, trying to get comfortable. The five days of exertion had thoroughly worn him through and now he was existing purely on the energy Loki gave him. If Loki wasn't here, Tony would just go to sleep and dream for a month.

_This is so fucking pointless and a waste of our time together. All to feed his fucking ego._

Tony looked up again. Loki was still waiting. The prick looked like he could wait for eternity.

_He knows you're not doing it._

_How can he possibly know what I'm thinking about?_

_He knows._

Tony licked his lips and finally gave in. This clearly wasn't going to end until he had played along.

He closed his eyes and thought about Loki. It followed pretty much the same pattern as the night he had thought about Loki in the cold bath while he jerked himself to climax. His mind eye ran over Loki's body and he thought about touching and stroking and being taken hard. Tony's mind slipped sideways a bit as he was suddenly pulled into taste. The taste of Loki, of his cock, his mouth, of his skin. Tony shuddered vaguely in a pleasurable way. The feeling. Of the man's slender body over him, of his hair between Tony's fingers, of the gods mouth on his neck. The glorious heat. _Fuck yeah, that's good._

Tony found his chest releasing a sigh. He thought about lying face forward with Loki driving in and out of him. Of lying on his back, his legs in the air with Loki fucking him raw. Of lying between powerful legs and sucking until he couldn't move his jaw.

He thought about worshiping. From Tony's limited understanding, he knew it ranged from something as small as lighting a candle to self-flagellation. That made Tony squirm. The idea of hurting himself, not because Loki ordered it, but because he wanted to do it _for_ Loki. That was pushing a kink too far, but Tony couldn't help but push into the fantasy to explore. The idea of using a crop or a whip against himself while Loki watched. Proving that Tony wanted the pain, wanted to show off his body in pain to the crazy god he worshipped.

Thoughts were getting hazy and sluggish now as his mind flew on Loki. Everything about Loki was suddenly perfect. There were no faults, no defects… just a god who made Tony's body do the most extraordinary things and then, instead of walking away from a defeated opponent, returned to make Tony do it all over again.

Eyes flickered open as he sensed Loki near. He looked up dreamily. Reality was so much better. Loki was still dressed, but looking down on him imperiously, just like out of Tony's fantasies. _Dreams do come true._ A hand was raised in front of Tony face.

"Kiss."

Tony lips pressed against the hand offered. Not violently, not lustful. Just obediently. Submissively. Taking no more than Loki offered.

"Kiss my boots."

Tony's head dropped and pressed his mouth against the black leather, so automatically, so unthinkingly he would wonder for months afterwards if Loki hadn't been controlling him somehow. It wasn't true, of course. But it was a hope that Tony clung to just in case he wasn't as screwed up as he was beginning to believe.

"Are you beginning to understand?"

"Yes, my god," Tony murmured.

"Do you feel free?"

Tony paused, letting his mind relax. So much of his life was filled with anger and sadness and an overwhelming desire to control everything around him… for fear of getting hurt by it. Maybe that was the truth. But here and now there was nothing threatening him (unless you included the insane god with a crop). He could just be. It was releasing, calming and yes. It was free in a deeper way than liberty.

"Yes."

"Would you like to worship further?"

"Yes Loki."

Loki sat back down and unfastened his trousers, pulling out his cock. He paused for a long moment before he gestured authoritatively. Tony crawled, knelt and slid the length between his lips so naturally it was like he had been born to do it.

Tony Stark could never have gone with an everyday religion. That would be too ordinary. He was a billionaire, so maybe had he been thicker, Scientology would have done. But Tony Stark was Tony Stark and he'd never get on his knees for anyone less than the God of Mischief.

"You're such a good little pet, Tony. I need you."

Tony worked his head up and down, accepting the god's praise.

"You're tired and overwhelmed. I don't expect this new found obedience to last. But we shall enjoy it while we can and you should not feel disappointed when we leave and your natural petulance returns. We both know now what you can become should I bend my will to force you there. We will keep it as our little secret."

Tony gagged down on the cock, pushing it into his throat. He relaxed his body, his breath stopped for slightly longer than he could bear and pulled back off. Loki's moaning and crooning was all the encouragement he needed to carry on. He licked his lips before continuing. He was drooling slightly at the joy of it. He sucked the head, bobbed up and down on the shaft, hummed and did everything he knew.

Loki pushed his chin up to look at him. "Let's move back to the bed, boy. We have your pressing need to see to, after all."

Tony blinked and groaned suddenly as he released how hard he was. He hadn't realised, none of this had been about him. His entire being had been fixed on Loki.

"What do you want to do?" Loki asked gently.

"Whatever you want," Tony replied. It was a weight off of him not to have to make any decisions. He didn't want to have to decide.

So Loki pushed Tony's mouth back on his cock for a good five minutes before finally dragging him back into the bed. Tony lay patiently while Loki prepared him with tender strokes. "What do you need, boy?"

"You."

Loki smiled and his tongue slipped between Tony's lips. "Such a good little worshiper I have. You like this, don't you?"

"I need this."

"So sweet, so good. So beautiful. Let me love you, Tony."

Tony was pushed onto his stomach and his legs spread wide. He waited patiently and sighed as he was filled to the hilt. "Thank you."

Loki patted him lovingly, before the fucking began in earnest. Tony's mouth hung open as he focused on nothing but tipping his hips, tightening his muscles, responding to Loki's body, doing everything to make this good for him.

And Loki was appreciating that fact. He growled his _good boys _into Tony's ear, one hand supporting himself on the bed, the other coming round to grasp Tony's throat and squeeze. Tony thought about the bruises he'd have and smiled.

"Tony, Tony," Loki muttered distractedly as he pounded. "Yes my darling boy, yes. I'm going to cum in you, my sweet little creature."

Tony nodded rocking his body harder against Loki. The god came explosively, yelling in Tony's ear, ending in a gasping moan. The god's boy smiled and waited as the body on top of him stilled. The cock in his ass grew soft before Loki pulled himself back together and rolled onto his back.

He pushed Tony to his side and looked down sceptically He made a tsking sound in his throat at the sight of Tony's still desperate need. "Now that won't do. You know how upset I get when my boy doesn't cum regularly. Lie here next to me."

Tony thrummed with excitement. _Fuck, do you hear yourself?_

Tony… no. _The boy_ pushed _Tony_ back into his corner. He was enjoying this too much to let himself ruin it for him. If that made any sort of sense.

Loki kissed him gently. "What shall we do with you? Something good and sweet to pull the orgasm from your body. I think we'll start with you tied up. Won't that be lovely?"

Tony's arms were tied behind his back and he shivered with joy. Loki's green eyes sparkled. "Should I suck you?" he looked like he was in intense consideration. Tony waited patiently. Loki smiled. "Yes, I think so. But you will have to wait. I need a minute to recover."

Tony waited, quiet and patiently. The _Tony_ within was finally silent and the boy was desperate to embrace this moment where he was free of the doubt, the mistrust and the self-loathing.

Loki eventually sighed. "Yes, I think we're almost there, but I will need the assistance of my little boy."

Tony was pushed onto his side, away from Loki, his hands available but still bound and he whimpered in delight as a cock was pushed between them. "Stroke me, Tony," Loki whispered, completely unnecessarily as Tony had started the minute he had felt the length between his fingers.

Once Loki was fully hard again _fuck I wish I had that kind of recovery time_ Tony was back on his back. Loki moved over him Tony swallowed immediately as the cock descended into his mouth. Then he realised. He realised as Loki ran a divine tongue over his aching balls.

Tony wailed on the shaft in his mouth. _Oh my god! Oh my god!_ Fucking hell, this was new. Tony head worked furiously, a new fire of lust burning in him at this. He was in a 69 position with Thor's little brother in a room with no doors and escape. Fuck it; this was so wrong it was right.

Loki's ministrations were lazy and languid, sucking the head but mostly his balls, not allowing him close to climax but making him feel so wonderful. The gentle pace only made Tony work harder on Loki, encouraged by the promise of fulfilment, rather than fulfilment itself.

The weight on top of him, the cuffs behind his back, the teasing actions at his length only made Tony feel more intensely alive than he had ever done before. Loki chuckled, rolling his hips and pressed down exultantly. "My, my, my. Had I known you'd be this eager I wouldn't have put this off for so long. You are enjoying yourself, aren't you boy?"

Tony moaned and whimpered; sucking like his very life depended on Loki's orgasm.

"I love an eager pet," Loki sighed and swallowed Tony down.

The writhing between the pair became intense as they both got nearer and nearer. Tony's heart was pounding so hard he thought it would explode. He was fighting back his own need, determined to taste Loki first. But he was going to lose. He could feel it, his whole body tensing, so close.

Loki, in Tony's frank opinion, cheated like the devious bastard he was. Tony bucked up violently as two fingers pressed into him and he was howling as he came. The taste of Tony seemed to push Loki over the edge and now the boy felt the thrusting and writhing against his face as the cock in his mouth came.

Loki pulled himself off and fell to the side, giving Tony space to breath. Tony could see the god panting, running his fingers though his black hair. He looked serious for a second as he gathered his mind, then smiled toothily at Tony. "I think that has to be my favourite position so far. We will be doing more of that, Tony."

"Whatever you want," the boy breathed.

"Yes, that's right. Whatever I want."

"Loki? How long now?"

"About 78 hours."

Tony gritted his teeth, forced down his humiliation and admitted the truth. "It's going too fast," he croaked.

"78 hours and I return you to the Tower. It does not mean that we will no longer be having sex. It doesn't matter where I fuck you, Tony. So long as it's you."


	31. Chapter 31: Latveria

Tony threw a popcorn kernel at Bruce because he was bored. And because it was funny, he smiled as it landed in the doctor's hair and Bruce brushed it out without a glance.

"How was your week away?" Bruce asked.

"Fine."

Amazing. Glorious. Incredible. A dark and tiny part of Tony hadn't wanted to leave that room. Or those arms. He wanted to crawl up into a ball under the sheets and never come up for air. He wanted to down in Loki's world. He wanted to live the fantasy Loki had spun and he never wanted to feel like Stark again.

But...

The problem was, as should have been obvious from the beginning, Loki was trying to break the pathological habits of a lifetime in Tony. And with all Tony's previous partners everything had been be wonderful and good right up until that brink. When he had to decide whether if to commit or run.

To date, he had always run. Stopped returning the calls, avoided those parties or just cheated on them.

Or he had pushed so hard, been so awful, he had been run from. That was easier of course. Be so out of control that people ran away and he didn't have to deal with the pressure of admitting he couldn't or wouldn't commit.

It was their fault, obviously. For not being able to deal with him.

_Like Pepper._

He could have eased back on Pepper. He could have been less... Tony Stark. He could have. But he hadn't. Because nothing was worth his pride. Because he was Tony Stark, the greatest man the twenty-first century had produced. And if his chosen partners couldn't accept that, then why should he bend?

This is the other side of Tony's internal monologue. _Either I'm a weak, crooning little boy begging to get fucked or I'm a self-centred arrogant bastard. _

_What do I actually want?_

Loki had eased back somewhat on his fanatical obsession over þjá ey after Tony had behaved for the week. But it wouldn't last for long.

The problem was... Tony Stark.

The problem was the Iron Man.

The problem was that Tony couldn't just be Tony. After so many years of being the character in the press, for the public eye, he had forgotten at some point how to be him. Now it was all a mess and Loki wasn't taking no for an answer. This wasn't Pepper. Loki wasn't waiting and hoping. Loki was forcing himself to be patient when, as far as he was concerned, the answer was obvious.

Loki had brought Tony back after their week, dumping him in his bed in the tower. It had been like waking up from a glorious dream to remember just how crappy the real world was.

Loki had run a tongue over his ear and down his neck, lapping at a shoulder blade. At this point, it was now almost as natural a feeling to Tony as blinking. "Wasn't that fun?" the god cooed.

Tony hummed vaguely.

"I almost can't bear to leave you."

Tony had shoved back the tide of responding feeling. "Too tired. Show yourself out." He smiled at the answering smack on his thigh.

"You should deal with the Avengers sooner rather than later."

"Huh?"

"Do something with them. Let them question. Deal with their suspensions now and not allow it to fester. You know I'm right, boy."

"Yes, yes, you're always right dear," Tony sulked in a hen-pecked voice.

"Should I ever need an arc reactor, or a jet or a hangover, I bow to your incomparable experience," Loki had said darkly. "In politics, you defer to me."

"Are you still here?"

Loki sighed and left. Tony had spent a few minutes squirming internally, annoyed that Loki was right, annoyed that he didn't have the energy to fight his corner, annoyed that he hadn't said what he wanted to say. _Are you still here?_ Everything Tony said to the man was supposed to make it clear that Loki was a nuisance in his life.

But that brink was coming up. Tony could feel the beginnings of the rebellion in his chest. The internal bastard was getting louder again. Perhaps annoyed he had been ignored for so long.

_But I've been having fun._

_No, you've been selling your ass. That's what you've been doing. _

Tony was going to have to decide sooner or later. Loki wasn't backing down. Just please, please make it later.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

"Bruce, I patent my thoughts for millions. A penny's just not going to cut it."

Tony looked up, pulled out of his dark thoughts as the rest of the gang join him and Bruce in Stark Tower. Tony stood, telling Jarvis to start more popcorn. "Movie night," Tony said in a formal voice, "Officially begins."

Thor threw himself into a chair with some joy and pulled Jane into his lap. Barton threw a sideways look at Natasha and seated himself a little way away from the main group.

Natasha sat next to the archer, but Steve stood next to the sofa, his hands resting on the back. "Where were you last week?" Steve asked.

Of course, if Loki had been here, he's twist and turn until the room was so confused they'd accept the simplest explanation on offer. The trick was not to lie, but to fill in enough around the edges that the person created the lie for themselves.

Tony was not Loki. "There are no questions on movie night."

"I'll bet he was off with that girl," Barton said.

"There is no betting on movie night."

"You dropped off the map," Natasha said. "I was expecting you to end up dead or in a jail cell somewhere."

"There is no-" Tony began, but he was interrupted by Bruce.

"Come on guys. Tony's allowed to his own time as much as the rest of us. What where you all doing last week?"

"Jane and I visited your Yellow Stone Park which Jane had a mind I would enjoy. She was correct, it is very reminiscent of Asgard," Thor said, again missing the point of a rhetorical question. Jane smiled delicately, stroking a hand down Thor's arm.

Tony rolled his eyes. "Okay. I'm sure we're all delighted Thor and Jane had sex in a national park. Now, voting time. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Alien or Die Hard?"

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Die Hard tied so they watched both. At the end, after a long discussion were Thor had to be explained the meaning of 'yippee ki-yay motherfucker', everyone made their excuses and left. Obviously. It was past midnight, the beer and snack supply having been depleted hours ago. They were devoid of popcorn, pop tarts and anything else the Thunder God had taken a fancy to.

Jane gave Tony a smile as she left. She's a good kid, Tony thought fondly.

Now, past one in the morning, only Tony, Steve and Bruce, apparently asleep in his chair, remained. "Sorry it wasn't in black and white," Tony said, mocking almost unconsciously.

Steve shrugged. "It was okay."

"Die Hard is _okay_?" Tony rolled his eyes, despairing of the old man. _He's still here for a reason._

The reason wasn't long in coming.

Steve leaned forward, his arms on his knees, looking up at Tony carefully. "I'm not sticking my nose into your personal life, Tony. I'm really not. But you disappear off for a week with some woman who's got a shady past. That's a problem for everyone. You have to remember, you're part of something bigger now."

Tony snorted. "You believe that if you want. I'm still a private citizen. Hey, Citizen Kane! That's what we should see next time."

"I never liked that movie."

"No well, you wouldn't GI Joe." Tony drained the last of his bottle.

Steve sighed. "Lockley has to come in for an interview. She just has to. It would be the same if I or Bruce or anyone in SHIELD found someone. Even Jane Foster was interviewed when it became clear she and Thor were a couple."

"No."

"Tony-"

"Lockley is not getting interviewed. She and I being together is not a national crisis."

"What does she say?"

Tony didn't reply. He couldn't think of answer that wouldn't lead to trouble. "This... Whatever I've got going with her... It's got nothing to do with any of you. Not you, not Fury, not fucking Natasha and whoever else you fuckers have been gossiping with behind my back. All of you need to fucking decide if you're fucking coming or going! One minute you're delighted I've been _tamed_, next your trying to create some Tinkler Tailor Solider Spy shit out of it. Fucking ridiculous."

Steve looked away, half abashed, half angry. "You're part of a team which first responsibility is the safety of the world. You have to make compromises in your life. You don't understand what it's like to sacrifice for a higher cause."

"Fuck you. You don't get to say that to me. I've sacrificed. Maybe not like you, but that's because I'm not a fucking, smug,self-satisfied moron."

Steve stood. "You're wrong. Fury's taken a back seat on this. He takes the view that anything that gets you to stop trying to cause World War Three because you're bored is a god send."

Tony shrugged. True. _God send. More true than you know. _"The fact that Fury isn't working himself up over this isn't enough for you to back off?"

Steve looked at him coolly, thanked him for the evening and left.

Tony sighed, uttering a bad word and turned to the 'sleeping' Bruce. "When did you wake up?"

The man stirred, unfolding himself from his hunched position. "Somewhere around Citizen Kane."

"Yeah."

Bruce pulled his glasses off briefly and rubbed his eyes. "I've always liked that movie."

"Kiss ass."

"So what does Lockley think?"

"She doesn't want to get involved with the Avengers. She's already done an interview with Natasha, what more do they fucking want?"

"I don't blame her. Lockley, I mean. Where were you for a week?"

"I own an island in the Mediterranean," Tony lied. Well, that wasn't a lie. He did own an island and that's all he said. Didn't say that's where they were. He had supplied the edges of the truth and Bruce filled in the gap with his own lie.

"What did you do?"

Tony gave Bruce a look which said it all. Bruce looked away embarrassed. "I feel sorry for her."

"Hey!" Tony said. Then grumbled, "Believe me, completely the other way round."

"Really?"

"Maybe that's what attracts me so much. I'm not used to being the... I don't know."

_The woman. Say it. You're not used to being the woman in the relationship._

_Shut the fuck up._

_No. It's been too long since you've used your brain. Time to start thinking again._

Bruce smiled. "Tony, I am glad that you're so happy. And don't them muck it up for you... If you're sure."

"Sure of what?"

"No one wants to see you get hurt, Tony."

"Because I get destructive?"

"Because we care."

Tony snorted, shaking his head. "No they don't."

"Well I do," the doctor replied in a quiet voice.

Tony turned in his and gave him a look. "You really do, don't you? Fucking hell, Bruce. Don't. I let people down. I always do."

_Pepper, the Avengers, Rhodes, his father... all the women he had ever dated._

Bruce didn't know how to reply to that. "What time is it?"

"One thirty-five in the morning, sir," Jarvis answered Bruce.

Tony nudged the DVD on the table. "We've got time for Aliens then."

He noted Bruce's gentle shake of the head, the only man in the world for who, in the national interest, couldn't afford to wake up on the wrong side of the bed.

"I have a fucking right to my private life," Tony said, still irksome.

"You do."

"Captain Icicles doesn't get to tell me otherwise."

"Of course not."

Tony threw a bottle. It landed neatly in the bin with a satisfying clang. "When I'm with hi-her... I feel like I'm not just surviving but _living_. You know?"

"Of everyone I know, it's always seemed to me you've lived more than most."

"I feel alive with Lockley. Really. I feel comfortable in my life. In my skin. Like I'm actually Tony - more Tony than I've been in years. I feel like I did before... before Stark Industries, before everything, before I..."

"Tony. Who are you trying to convince?"

_Me._

"Fuck it. I don't know." Tony rubbed his face. He was getting mauling and intoxicated, tired and in the company of a confident would spell disaster. "I'm done for the night."

"Me too," Bruce said with a sigh, forcing himself up onto his feet. "You love her?"

"Sure. Whatever."

"That's not an answer," Bruce pointed out.

Tony hit the down button on the lift. "Best you're going to get. Best Lockley's going to get too. Now, how about you and I work on that engine tomorrow? For the new transport."

Bruce stepped in through the doors and smiled back. "Sounds good. See you tomorrow."

"Yeah."

Xxx

Bag of cats. Wasn't that how Bruce had described Loki once? That's how Tony felt right now. His mind was a bag of cats.

"What are you thinking, boy?"

"Nothing."

Loki rolled onto his side, the bed sheets up to his waist and racked his eyes down Tony's equally naked, equally half covered body. In the moon light pouring in through the windows, the pair seemed almost otherworldly. Tony was staring up at the ceiling, the cogs in his mind whirring so fast it was almost audible.

"It is surely not nothing. There is a furrow between your eyes. Most unattractive. I can relieve it, if you wish. Force my way in so deep you will not know where you end or I begin."

_Tempting.__  
_  
"Or perhaps bend you over my knee and spank you hard."

_Also tempting.__  
_  
"Maybe later. I need to think."

Loki's eyes were alive with mirth. "If it will speed up your thoughts, would you like to hear what Justin thinks of your current situation?"

"It might surprise you, but no, I don't give a shit what Hammer thinks."

"Justin thinks that Von Doom is mining for iron."

Tony snorted. "Well stop the presses; we have national crisison our hands!"

"And he has been seen in Wakanda."

"Loki, what are you on ab…" Tony paused.

Loki's lips fell upon his with light touches. "Iron," he whispered planting a kiss on Tony's lips. "Wakanda." Another kiss. "Which is home," kiss, "to the largest source of…"

"Vibranium," Tony muttered.

"Iron." Kiss. "Vibranium." Kiss. "Equals."

"Adamantium. That's a load of..." Tony paused. It was like being handed the lid of the jigsaw. Everything became clear. Okay, so there were a few holes still but... "Smart. That's smart. Why didn't I think of that?"

Tony glared at Loki and dragged himself up and out of the bed. The week away had made him almost blind to his nakedness around Loki. He stood, glaring at the sultry figure in the bed. "You," he said accusingly, pointing a finger. "Ever since you fucking waltz into my life, I've lost my edge!"

_He's destroying you!_

"Your 'edge' was born of anger and depression. Geniuses are by their very nature are unhappy and alone."

Einstein, Da Vinci, Turing. Tessalla. Tony knew them all – how many times had he been compared to each and every one? It was Hemingway himself who said, "Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know."

"You're _happy_ and so your _edge_, as you call it - that continual churning of dark thoughts that has thus far been the background noise of your life, has ceased. You've now gained a higher purpose. You serve a god."

"You really are the most pig arrogant, self-centred son of a bitch I've ever met," Tony spat. "And I know what I'm talking about, alright? That title used to be mine."

"Come here, Tony."

"I want to think."

He expected an argument, but Loki sighed and shrugged. "Do your thinking. Return to the bed when you are finished."

"You know, a week ago that would have led to a punishment."

Loki chuckled vaguely. "Don't sound so disappointed boy. Do your thinking and we shall play later."

_Great. Fucking great._ Now Loki didn't care whether Tony stayed or went, Tony wanted to stay. Maybe he really was as much of a child as everyone said he was.

Tony crawled back onto the bed and slowly, so painfully slowly and pulled back the covers. He smiled to himself and carefully slid his tongue down from the tip of Loki's length to the balls. Tony repeated the action without stopping until he felt the cock beginning to harden. Then he threw caution to the wind, captured the head in his lips and sucked, running his tongue over and over the sensitive skin.

A board, luxurious smile broke out over the pale face and a hand came down to pet Tony's hair. "Such a good boy you are, Tony. Yes. Yes please me and reward will follow."

Tony hummed, vibrations thrumming though Loki's cock. Loki's fingers tightened as his lip's parted in a perfect O of pleasure.

Tony let the dick go and pressed his mouth into Loki's balls, licking and sucking. The vocalisations above him boded well. He alternated for some time, dividing his attention between cock and balls.

He moved his hands up, away from his own waist to remove temptation. He reached under the bed and managed to close his fingers over a bottle of the lubrication that seemed to litter the room. He held it up for Loki to see while his mouth continued.

Loki took the bottle from Tony's hand and tapped him on the head. Tony pulled away and turned. Loki spread him open, pressing his fingers up and in and stretching him out quickly. Tony humped back in delight. Then the god was mounting over Tony's back, pressing in, grasping Tony's head and it wrenching it back, exposing his neck to sucking kisses -

"Sir, Thor is in the tower."

Tony tried to scramble off the bed, but Loki held him down. "No!" he hissed, his hips working hard now, grinding into Tony relentlessly. "No, I don't think so!"

"Fuck, ah, yes, no! Fuck, Loki, get off!" Tony said, panicked, fighting to detach himself from his demanding god and crawl away. Loki fought back, pulling his head back further, arching his back painfully and holding on to one of Tony's arms hard enough to cause bruises.

"Get off!" Tony shouted, almost managing to dislodge Loki. But like an animal, like a panther, Loki growled, biting the back of Tony's neck as he thrust harder. Tony's cock pulsed as he wailed. "No!"

_Oh god yes!_

The mad panic of being caught, Loki's clear, animal-like determination to see though the coupling to the end, the idea of Thor walking in on them all had Tony thrashing harder, squirming frantically into the bed like never before. It was exciting and it was making him so hard he thought he would shatter.

_Safe-word!_

_Fury!_

_Forget it! This is just too damn good!_

"Jarvis! Where's Th- fuck, Loki, yes! Where's Thor?"

Loki slammed down hard and Tony choked, his prostate taking a brutal pounding, fireworks blazing behind his eyes, making him giddy. "Do not say that name while I take you!" he shouted.

"Fuck! Shit!" Tony shouted as he tried to twist away from the abuse. He was going to explode, he was going to cum and shatter into a thousand pieces, oh sweet god it had never felt so good! "Get off, if he finds us like – ah! Harder! Please!"

"I don't care!" Loki snapped. "You're not leaving until- yes, Tony, fight me! Fight me, you know you can't help it, you'll cum my sweet boy!"

It was more intense than it had ever been, each fighting, Loki fighting to keep Tony under him as he bucked on top and Tony fighting Loki, fighting back the orgasm, terrified of getting caught. Tony grabbed the end of the bed and tried to pull himself away, twisting and bucking and yet still, unaccountably still forcing his hips back, impaling himself again and again on Loki.

How long has it been since it's been so brutal?

Too long.

Tony fought harder, his legs failing out helplessly, feeling his heart pounding in his chest, his gasping coming from the struggle as much as the sex.

"Thor is-"

"Do not answer!" Loki snapped at Jarvis.

"He could be outside!" Tony snapped and yipped –yes, actually fucking _yipped_ as Loki found a new angle to pound. Tony made a weak _oooh_ noise which made Loki growl in triumph. Tony blinked away the intense blurring in his vision. "Fuck yes, don't stop! Stop! Get off!"

"Stay still and be used, boy!" Loki cried into Tony's hair. "You're not leaving his bed until I cum in you so deep you'll taste it!"

Tony's hand found Loki's arm and his nails dug and scratched, leaving red lines and a little blood. Frustratingly, it seemed to have the opposite reaction to what Tony had been hoping as Loki groaned hard and pounded so hard the bed was making very violent squeaking sounds.

"You said his name in our bed," Loki hissed. "I am going to make you cum so hard you'll never even think his name again! I'm going to cum, I'm going to pound you into this bed, I'm going to fill you my little pet!"

"Okay, fine, go on!" Tony said desperately. Loki used magic, right? Surely he could seal this room? Make it noiseless. "Come on, Loki!" he pleaded.

"Beg!"

"Fuck no, I'm not – he could turn up at any-"

"Beg!"

"Loki, you can-" Tony feel into a new wave as his cock throbbed to bursting point. Fuck! Loki was going to cum and Tony wasn't far off.

He fought it back again. There were stars behind his eyes, his body was shaking, his muscles were aching from the tension. He knew this feeling. If he came, he was going to pass out and how exactly was he going to explain being caught in that state? Especially if Loki disappeared and he was caught like that alone.

What if Loki didn't disappear? What if he stayed? And Thor did catch them like that? And Tony would be helpless. And Thor would roll him over and kiss him hard and held him down as he pushed-

"Oh fuck, oh fuck," Tony bleated as whole new, previously unconsidered images poured into his head. "Oh fuck! Loki!"

"Beg!"

"Please cum; please cum, for the love of god Loki, please!"

"Tell me who you belong to!"

"You, you, you, you, you!" Tony screamed.

"Sir, Thor is requesting access to the Penthouse floor."

"N-!"

Loki covered his hand over Tony's mouth. "Yes!"

Tony yelled into the hand. Loki bit his shoulder. The thrusting had slowed now so as not to create so much noise but it was still firm and deep and making Tony's noes curl painfully. "You're going to lie still until you're filled! What part of this confuses you?" he hissed in Tony's ear, giving an especially violent thrust. "Jarvis can lock the door, but I will not prevent sound from leaving so you'd better bite your tongue!"

From the other room, Thor yelled for Tony. Tony shuddered, whimpering as the panic made him writhe in ecstasy. "Loki, please, I'm begging you," he whispered desperately.

Loki's hands held his mouth shut, covering his nose for a brief moment, cutting off sound. Cutting off oxygen. Pushing Tony to that very edge of his orgasm.

"You have no one to blame but yourself, boy," Loki whispered in Tony's ear. "You just shouldn't feel this good."

Tony jumped as the door rattled. Loki pounded harder as Thor called again and Tony shuddered and flailed, losing himself to the glory of the moment. Loki jackhammered into his boy, in the home stretch now. Tony's eyes crossed, feeling Loki, flying under the domination… but in his mind there was a cock pushing past his lips, just as demanding, just as controlling and as Loki rode his little boy, Thor took his mouth harshly with a thick cock almost designed to make him gag and he couldn't stop it because Loki was holding his arms down in the bed…

Tony and Loki came together, practically in unison, Tony thrashing in the bed, Loki grinding hard. Loki held Tony's mouth closed, blocking his wails and biting hard on Tony's shoulder to muffle his own.

_Fuck! That's going to leave a mark._

Tony collapsed, virtually paralyzed from the orgasm and the god collapsed on top of him, panting and gasping. Tony, on the edge of consciousness, heard the lift opening and closing. Thor had apparently given up and left.

"Thank fuck," Tony muttered thickly. The boy looked at Loki with weary annoyance. "You done?"

"Enough for some time, I think," Loki breathed exhaustedly.

Tony mulled whether or not to start the argument now, but decided against it. He sighed angrily and rested his head in his arms.

"Lie to me, boy, and tell me that wasn't the best so far."

"I'm not lying. It was amazing. But we're never doing that again."

"That is not your decision to make."

Tony grumbled. "This is all about Thor. This has always been about Thor. You just want to fuck him over and you're using me to do it."

"Sir, the Avengers at attempting to contact you."

Tony rubbed his face as Loki stood and walked to the bathroom, deafly ignoring Tony's comments. "You don't say. I'm not speaking to anyone. Take a message."

There was a pause. "I have taken the message, Sir. I believe you'll want to hear it immediately."

Tony sighed. "Okay."

Natasha's voice came over the coms, angry and firm. "Tony, get over to the Helicarrier _now_. We have a read on Doom and we're heading out in the hour."

Tony leapt out of the bed like he had been electrified, the inevitable descent of guilt curling his stomach. "Shit," he muttered.

Loki was against his body in seconds. "Don't go."

"Wha- no! Don't be ridiculous!"

One slender white hand caught his head in a grasp and the other stroked its way down his stomach to his crotch. "Stay, boy. I could call in your Promise."

"What?"

"Promise of Obedience. I could command you. By the oath you took. Get your ass back on the bed."

Tony looked at Loki, deep into those Forest Green eyes. "Are you?"

Loki's held the gaze before the eyes finally flicked away.

Tony pushed him away harshly and pulled himself inelegantly into his black latex under suit. He avoided Loki's angry, disappointed gaze.

The smooth voice followed him from the room, "I have never seen you as eager for me as you are for them."

"Loki," Tony complained.

Tony stepped out into the platform and mechanical arms attached the iron plates to his body. The god followed, now fully clothed, but lingering in the doorway. "I'll be gone for a few hours at most. Will," he looked at Loki as his helmet was locked into place. "Will you be here when I come back?"

Loki glared. "Do you want me to be?"

Tony bit his tongue against the words. Snapping his visor down, he threw one last look at Loki before jumping off the platform, shooting off towards the Helicarrier.

_You couldn't have asked him to be there when you got back? Was it that hard to say?_

_No. I just don't want him to be there._

_Liar. _

He pushed a little harder, speeding across the sky fast enough to overtake a fighter jet. "On the way guys."

"Where have you been?" came Steve's reproving voice.

"Believe it or not, I don't sit around in my suit waiting for you to call."

"Forget it," Steve said angrily. "Meet us in Latveria."

Latveria is a tiny nation which, out of sheer bloody minded defiance, managed to retain its boarders and not get swallowed up by its neighbours Croatia, Hungry and Serbia. It was often referred to by those who moved away as 'the old country' and boy was it just. It wasn't much to look at, but its rugged black mountains, old houses and castles managed to make it an eerily haunting place.

It was not a tourist hotspot, except by the suicidal dedicated rock climbers who still, after centuries of evidence to warn them away, tried to scale its mountains. Some managed to come back alive. More often than not they were found eventually, floating face down the river.

In terms of industry, there was very little. Latveria was a small country with a very fragile economy. And so, young, talented, brilliant Victor Doom, having made his fortune in America and pumped a lot of it back into Latveria. He was a national hero and as such, virtually untouchable in his homeland.

Tony wondered if the Avengers were going to be met with flames and pitch forks on arrival. He was sure as hell if this all went to pot, there wouldn't be any help from the locals.

When landed next to the Helicarrier on a usual Latveria afternoon (black sky, cold and on the verge of rain), it was to greet a less than chipper team. Though none passed comment on his lateness, Steve gave him a scolding look. "What took you so long?"

"What, you need a diagram? Get a girlfriend, spangles," Tony snapped.

"All our intelligence tells us that Doom is overseeing the construction of his Doom Bots in the Laran Industrial Park about 10 klicks south from here," Barton said.

"Since when did we decide to call these things Doom Bots?" Tony asked.

"What would you prefer?" Barton asked dryly.

"No, Doom Bot is good. I was just wondering."

Steve stepped in. "All the major energy sources are coming from one building. We're going to circle it, then close in. The best way is going to be to take him unawares."

"Really? I always thought it was best to take people when they were _awares_."

Steve gave out his orders and Tony rocketed up into the air to take position over the industrial park.

If you could call it that. A Stark Industries industrial park it was not. It was a small group of derelict looking buildings of rusted iron hanging together out of that same sheer stubborn defiance its creators had in spades.

"This place is a buzz kill," Tony muttered. "Not a Starbucks for miles."

"You can't measure civilization in terms of coffee houses, Tony," Bruce said in his ear.

"Watch me. Where are the malls? Where's the nightlife? Where are the bars selling cocktails with umbrellas? This place is a dump."

Tony waited for the go. He felt more tired than he'd like to be, heading off into a mission. His body felt weak and raw. It always did after sex with the crazy god. It was like Loki peeled back his armor, his defenses, his mind... and just fucked his soul. He was aching all over, metaphorically and literally.

_Fuck._

_It wouldn't have been that hard, would it, to have asked him to be there?_

_Would have sounded weak._

_So?_

_Would he still want you if you begged?_

Tony found himself raising his eyebrows in surprise. It was the first time he had thought about it from that angle. How much of his fight was simply because he was worried that Loki would… find him boring?

_Ha! Forget it. I'm Tony Stark and I am never boring.  
_  
Captain America made the call. "Go!"

The six heroes descended on the main building from which the energy was originating; Thor and Natasha running at the main doors, Steve heading for the back to cut of escape, Barton and Tony with high vantage points would pick off any who tried to flank and, as usual, the Hulk was simply released and allowed to get down to what he did best.

It would have been perfect. Latex wearing, boy-scout, kitten saving dickhead that he was, Steve Rogers could plan an attack. Tony couldn't deny it. It would have been perfect.

They didn't get close.

The building exploded, but not in fireworks or flames. From Tony's vantage point, it was like kicking rock and all the creepy crawlies come pouring out. Black robots burst through the walls, through the roof, through the doors and windows until there was no building left, just hundreds of swarming black, green glowing automata.

The Avengers were immediately plunged into a very chaotic fight. The sound of almost perpetual gunfire shattered the air. As they had been closing in from different angles, they were all going one on one with several Doom Bots at a time.

"Tony!" Barton called. "Natasha!"

Tony saw and swooped down like a bullet, pulling Natasha out by the arm from a particularly bad scrap and taking her up over the fighting.

"Thanks," she called up through the whipping air. "Drop me there!"

Natasha was back on the fight next to Steve. Thor was making his way to them, knocking robots left and right. Hulk was just grabbing and smashing, often one robot with another, and Barton was picking off a great deal from a nearby roof.

The fighting was intense, Tony only just keeping ahead of it. No matter how many you took down there seemed to be more. And these had definitely been upgraded. While the cable was still pull-able, it was harder to get at. They were faster, tougher, more dexterous.

He swore as one almost grabbed him from the air. They're reflexes were better too.

Tony was bearing down on a Bot when he heard a yell. He took it down quickly with a laser in the head and turned to see a robot, one heavy foot on Captain America and a green laser taking aim at his head.

Steve was scrabbling out against the dirty concrete, his fingers stretching desperately trying to reach his shield which was just that little bit too far away.

The Iron Man swooped, knocking the bot's head off and firing a laser into the hole created for good measure. It toppled sideways and Tony landed, helping Steve up.

Tony pulled up his visor. "Hell of a time to be lying down on the job," he joked.

"It knocked me, across the plaza!" Steve gasped. He had recovered his shield but was holding his chest in pain.

"Well, I got it," Tony said, a little perturbed. It was unlike Steve to have been trounced so thoroughly that Tony could help a laugh had is expense. "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone you got your ass kicked like a girl."

Steve looked down at the recently decapitated robot and shook his head. "No, not that."

They both looked around and up… and up again at a creaking metal noise. A shadow fell over the two as something blocked the evening light. An immense automaton was stamping out from in between two rusted buildings and heading slowly towards them. A wall of metal. A mountain of metal. It couldn't move fast, but it moved with the unstoppable momentum of a landslide.

"That," Steve said, rather unnecessary.

"Ah," Tony said. His visor flipped down and a mechanical voice said, "that's Adamantium."

"Yeah. Felt like it," Steve said painfully.

Tony glanced at Steve. "You up for this?"

Steve shrugged uncomfortably. "Is there a choice?"

Tony flew up as Steve rallied the Avengers. This was going to be a team event. The thing wasn't stopping for the Avenger's team meeting however. Tony took a few pot shots just to keep the thing distracted from Steve until the team could gather.

The machine formed out of was heavy black metal and moved laboriously. It was similar in every way to its smaller companions except its weaponry was far more sophisticated. It stopped, looking up at the hovering Tony with a strip of green. Tony pulled away slightly as beams shot from the strip. It was a wire-frame scan – a very sophisticated one, outlining and presumably, identifying the Iron Man.

Once it was done, it raised its hands.

Tony noted that this thing was slow and heavy and cumbersome compared to its fellows. But as the ends of the hands opened to reveal a canon like hole, a crackle of energy building into a bright, shimmering, violent ball of green, Tony decided that show and tell was over.

He rocketed up, narrowly avoiding the two balls of green energy fired at him. The noise was an intense crackle which almost deafened him.

"Holy shit!" he swore.

The advantage he had now was an attack like that couldn't be repeated immediately. It must require a hell of a lot of power.

The Iron Man swooped back down, dropping in a dive and opened fire on the colossus as the rest of the Avengers continued their fight on the ground. While the majority of them were still going toe to toe with the regular sized Doom Bots, Tony and the Hulk were focusing on the big one.

The Hulk roared, jumping on the machine and slamming it in the chest. It staggered back, righted itself and hit the Hulk in the jaw. Tony shivered in discomfort as he watched the Hulk fall back slightly. _Fuck_.

"Thor, buddy, this one's yours I think!" shouted Tony.

The Hulk jumped at the machine again, grabbing an arm and slamming the metal giant to the ground. There was suddenly the noise of scraping metal as plates shifted and moved. Tony stared. The thing had the ability to move in almost every direction by transforming its plates so to face whichever way it wanted.

It reminding Tony of something, but he couldn't remember what while ducking another blot of green.

"Tony, this thing seems to be after you," Barton called.

"Really? I hadn't fucking noticed."

"Fall back to the transport!"

Everyone felt their hearts jerk in shock. The evening seemed darker, the gunfire seemed louder... the bitter taste of adrenalin in there mouths all the more unnerving. They were still fighting, but with a sudden desperate air of futility.

"We can do this, Steve!" Thor shouted.

"No! Fall back to the transport!" Steve shouted back. "We're out numbered and these things aren't stopping! Back!"

There was a shout from Barton as Natasha was hit. Hawkeye jumped off his platform, using a zip-line to make it down, beheading a robot with a kick as it raised a gun to finish the Black Widow.

The Hulk was going at the colossus with all he was worth, but no matter how many dents he put into the thing, the plates would shift and damaged armor would be replaced with new. There had to be a limit, a finite number of time it could do it, but the Avengers were falling fast here.

Thor bellowed in frustration, wound up his hammer and launched it directly at the face of the great Doom Bot. It crashed through the head, shattering it. Metal panels fell to the ground, flattening a dozen smaller robots.

They paused slightly, waiting, hoping…

The plates shifted and a new head was raised in minutes. Tony was so enraptured, watching this pinnacle of engineering, he didn't see the hurling lump of metal flying at him. Despite all the warnings going off in his helmet, his first inclining of it was after he had been thrown back against side of a building, flattened like fly hit by a thrown shoe.

"Tony!"

Tony fell to the ground, but he wasn't injured as such. The suit had absorbed the blow, but knocked out many of his major systems. He looked up and bots were heading towards him. But Thor was already there, knocking them away, creating a path.

"Back to the transport, now!" roared Steve.

The Avengers ran back to the transport but Tony was slow in following. "Come on Tony!" shouted Steve. He was hauling Natasha and Barton onto the transport. A wave of robots were descending fast like a black wave.

"Heads up!" Tony shouted. He picked up a destroyed robot, the most intact he could find, and threw it into the transport. As he leapt up onto the platform, he looked around.

The Hulk was growling at the advancing wave. The Hulk was massive. Too big for the transport. They'd always known that, but usually the fight was over and Bruce had enough time to calm down.

The Hulk wasn't going to back down now.

"He'll hold them off for us," Thor said.

"Yeah, and then what?" snapped Tony. He looked at Steve who took the point. "Go on without us. Get Barton and Natasha back to the Helicarrier."

Tony jumped back out and headed over to Hulk. "Come on now, green dude. Party over."

But the Hulk was already fighting again, pulling robots apart, smashing them. Tony hissed in frustration. "Alright, fine," he muttered. He aimed a laser at the Hulk, hitting him between the shoulder blades with a blast that would have been lethal to any other creature on the planet.

The creature roared in agony and turned to glare at the flying red figure.

"That's right, blame the guy with the lasers," Tony said. He turned and sped away, very aware that the Hulk was giving chase.

Believe it or not, it wasn't exactly the uneven match you'd expect. Of course, in a hand to hand fight, the Hulk would always win. And for the that matter, not only win, but hammer the Iron Man into the ground like a nail.

But Tony had flight, agility and intelligence on his side.

They crossed the rugged lands of Latveria quickly, heading west. Tony was just keeping ahead of the Hulk, firing back at him intermittently to retain his attention. The Hulk just howled, tore up the ground, throwing everything from boulders to cars and even small trees at Tony.

"You know, you and I don't spend enough time together," he called back.

The Hulk bellowed.

"I've got to take you to a competitive eating competition. How much fun would that be?" Tony dove quickly, avoiding a thrown boulder. "Or bowling. Whatever."

"Sir, I have identified an appropriate location."

"Let's go. As fun as this romp through the now Croatian countryside, we're getting just that little bit too close to civilisation for my liking."

"Yes Sir."

Tony dropped down a few meters so he was in reaching distance of the Hulk and sped ahead. The Hulk roared again, moving faster, hands reaching out to snatch at the infuriating red metalled jerk like a child chasing a moth.

Tony drove straight over the cliff and, with the unstoppability of a juggernaut, the Hulk followed. The Iron Man swooped up like a bird back into the air… the Hulk fell like a brick into the river below.

There was a splash which caused water to rocket into the air meters high. When Tony landed on the bank, there were fish flopping around on the grass gasping for water. He kicked one or two back in as the Hulk diminished and Bruce appeared.

The man struggled out the water, looking like a drowned cat, and slumped down on the bank.

"You're really going to have to keep some sort of travelling bag for occasions like this," Tony said. "As easy going as Croatia is, they're not going to appreciate you walking around like a flasher who's forgotten his coat."

"Stop making jokes," Bruce said, sounding a little anger than he generally allowed himself to be. "That was a stupid, stupid thing to do, Tony. I could have killed you."

"You're welcome."

Bruce paused, looked up a little shamefaced. "I… thank you."

Fortunately for Bruce, he was saved from having to walk into town as naked as the day he was born by the transport hovering overhead. Tony looked up as the doors opened. He grabbed Bruce's arm. "Up we go."


	32. Chapter 32: A Date

Post-match analysis. And the verdict was- "That was perhaps the shittest job we've ever done," Tony grumbled.

There was a pause and Fury sighed. "From what Steve tells me, you were vastly outnumbered and hideously out gunned."

"Being vastly outnumbered and hideously out gunned isn't new," Tony pointed out. "It's kind of what we do."

"Steve made the call. He judged that while, for example, Loki would have destroyed New York and then the world, Doom was just making a point. He would not destroy Latveria. From what our satellites tell us, the minute you left they retreated back. Though they seemed to have gone underground; we can't find them."

Tony was angry. Thor was angry. All the Avengers were angry. They were all, in their way, highly obsessive and very belligerent. They were all the kind of men and women for whom leaving a job half-done was… irksome.

Bruce turned a weary face on Fury. "How are Barton and Natasha?"

"They're wounded, but they'll survive."

"Can I take a look at them?"

"We've got good doctors on the Helicarrier, Bruce. They're fine."

Barton shrugged slightly. Tony knew Bruce's private opinion of the doctor's on board. He called them, in a word, _military_. "And Steve?"

"Ripping through his nineteen punching bag, I'll bet," said Tony. He turned to Fury. "I want that Bot. I'm going to take it apart piece by piece. I'm going to find a way to break them. And then I'm going to shove it up Victors-"

"You'll get your chance." Fury turned a hard eye on the billionaire. "I'm not for a minute going to consider holding it from you; you're a jerk but you're a genius."

"That's what it says on my letter head."

"But give us twenty-four hours to clear it. No- twenty-four hours. Don't pull that face at me. Then we'll deliver it to Stark Tower. We don't want any nasty surprises cropping up."

"The great machine," Thor said, seemingly rumbling awake. "It was greatly reminiscent of the Asgardian Destroyer."

"See!" Tony said, greatly vindicated, "Doom just steals other people's ideas. No vision."

Fury frowned suddenly. It was such a change in demeanor Tony was moved to ask what was wrong. Though Fury shook off the questions and left without another word.

"Okay… weird." He turned to Bruce who was leaving. "You want a ride back?"

"I have a shift at the free clinic."

"Such a sodding little Samaritan, aren't you?"

Bruce gave him a small smile. "Thank you for today. Please don't ever do it again."

"Why do people ask me to do things they know I'll never do?"

"We all hold out hope that you may one day listen." Bruce left.

Tony rolled his eyes and turned. Thor was ambling around, looking a little lost.

_You were just outside a door on the other side of which I was getting fucked into insanity by your little brother._ Tony shivered. Awkward. But he began to wonder if that wasn't Loki intention all along. Make Tony uncomfortable around Thor.

Or one of his intentions. Loki always had multiple schemes on the go, after all.

He decided not to give in to the vague desire not to be near Thor, in case that was what Loki wanted. "Big man, what's up?"

Thor looked up. "Nothing I believe, Tony."

Tony rolled his eyes internally. "What are you doing? Off to see Jane?"

Thor shook his golden head. "Jane is in the middle of some sort of... important breakthrough. I do not wish to disturb her at this time."

_I wish your bother was as fucking considerate._

"So what are you doing?"

Thor glanced around. "I think I shall go to the gymnasium."

"The gymna- oh, the gym. The Helicarrier's gym sucks. Come back to Stark Tower."

"I do not wish to inconvenience you."

"Come on."

Tony and Thor spent the afternoon in the gym. This was always a humbling experience. Tony's work out leant towards cardio while Thor was picking up weights with one hand that Tony could only do with two and not without rupturing himself.

Traitorously, Tony's eyes lingered on Thor a little longer than they should have. But he was surprised that, while he was most definitely noticing more... the strain of the muscles, the slight sheen of sweat, the way his tongue flicked over his bottom lip, it wasn't making him tingle like, say, Loki's sparkling eyes. Loki scent. Loki's hand cupping his-

Tony shook his head and turned his music up a little louder as he jogged. Not the place to get a hard on.

That's what Loki was turning him into. Tony felt like he had a sexual charge running through him, making him so highly aware of the world around him. But while he noted it, Loki's leash kept him from... god knows.

_You're blaming Loki for your sex drive?_

Fair point. But before Loki, its was confined to women and just your regular sex. Not men and the desire to be tied up.

Basically, Tony wasn't interested in any other man than Loki. But what he was interested in, in fact, what he was becoming obsessed with, was domination.

He shook his head at himself and notched up the treadmill a little faster.

Afterwards, they hung out on the platform, looking out over the city, drinking beer. Tony had to remind himself every step of the way not to try and keep pace with the god. Thor finished his umpteenth and to Tony's envy reached for another.

Tony leaned over, his elbows on his knees, a glass of whiskey in his hands as he rolled the tumbler between his flat palms. There was a companionable silence between them and while Tony loathed breaking it, this was the opportunity he had been waiting for months to present.

"Thor man… what the hell happened in Thanos' realm? What did you find there?"

Thor stiffed slightly, took a swig of his drink and threw a gloomy look at Tony. "Decay, death and darkness, Tony. I do not wish to dwell on it."

"Tell me."

"Why?"

"Curiosity." Tony saw this wasn't getting anywhere with Thor. "Maybe you want to talk about it, I don't know. You weren't keen when you got back so I didn't ask. I'm told that what's called _considerate_. Tell me now. How did you find Loki?"

"We raided the realm, found him in chains and barely managed to make it back. What more is there to tell?"

Tony shrugged, but didn't say anything.

Thor took another long drink, finished his bottle and reached out for another. He sighed and, with reluctance began his story. "When we arrived, what struck us was the quiet. The stillness. No life, no trees or animals, nothing. There was not even a breeze. It was the stillness of the grave. The world there is grey and dust, with ragged mountains and a sky of black. We were met by no army, no force. We were left to wander the lands."

He looked out across New York's skyline, his blue eyes hard and set his square jaw tense. "I sent several parties off to find food, water and shelter. Hours later, they would return, half staved and dying. We did not understand; how could but a few hours have resulted in this? They would tell us that they had been wandering for days. I did not believe it; time was difficult to judge in a twilight world where there were no sunsets or sunrises. Until it happened to me. I realised that time there was not set. Hours would pass for some, days for others, seconds for the rest. After that, I kept my men together, I would not risk that we may be separated for days at a time and be picked off. We wandered for time uncounted."

"We eventually found what seem to be a camp of sorts. It was filled with the chattering of the Chitari and... other creatures."

"What other creatures?"

"I... they were foul, deformed creatures. Worse than what we encountered in New York, and faster. Stronger. Larger. The camp was based between two mountains. It was the entrance to something, the guard house. We took the camp, but we lost many in that first fight. We took over the camp, set it up as our base. My men were suffering at this point - there were no lakes, no earth... our supplies were running low. Many spoke of turning back; to the point I feared that they would rebel against my command."

"What did you do?"

Thor smiled bitterly, with the world weary air of a solider. "I told them any who wished to leave my company may do so."

"And?"

"None left."

Tony hadn't really ever thought about it before, but simply because he wasn't his brother and walked around believing everyone to be a jolly good sort and swinging a hammer, didn't mean Thor wasn't bright. He wasn't _intelligent_, but he had that silent air of...

When someone believed you were a good, honest, noble person, and believed that fact which such open honesty, even if you weren't, you'd want to be not to let him down. You wanted to rally behind Thor, not because you believed in what he believed, but because he was a good guy to know. He was just... so nice as to be manipulative, though not knowing that was what he was doing at all.

"Sorry man, don't let me interrupt."

"The deeper we went into the land, the more resistance we encountered. Small packs, without any suggestion of leadership or organisation. Our numbers were being reduced daily. Then... then we found him."

Thor sighed and reached for another beer, pulling the metal tab off with his fingers. Thor, thunder god, has no need for bottle openers. That's pretty cool.

"There is no great story here, Tony. No grand charge into battle and no valour. No matter what Fendral and the others will tell you. This was a desperate scrabble to save a man, then to save ourselves from a seemingly unending black wave of carnage. It is not a story I will one day regal my children with."

"I think you're underselling it," Tony said with a little laugh. "I mean, you survived. I'm not a hero of old, like you. For me, surviving is the achievement, not the head count."

Thor nodded vaguely accepting Tony's point of view though clearly not agreeing in the slightest. "My brother thinks in a similar way. It is the outcome he focuses on."

"Well, we're aim driven."

_Now, if you weren't sleeping with him, wouldn't you have found Thor's comment offensive? The fact that you and Loki are alike?_

_Fuck. Yes, I would have._

_Well, too late now._

Thor, to Tony's relief, seemed too deep in thought to ponder on Tony's comment at any metaphysical level. "There is a tale of my people… a tale of two brothers who were going to die. And the elder demanded of the younger to hold his head high before the blow fell. The younger exclaimed that, given they were going to die no matter what, why did it matter_? 'Because when all that is left is your death, it matters a great deal'_."

Tony hummed over this one for a while. "Er... no. At that point, I'd be looking for the escape exit."

"Perhaps you are wiser than I, Tony. I do not claim my ways to be correct. Merely that I could not imagine behaving otherwise."

"What happened?"

"We found him." Thor looked at the road, tens of stories beneath him for a long time, and then took another long drink. "I know what he has done, my friend. The people he has killed and the places he has destroyed. But he is my brother. We played together as children. He has saved my life as I have saved his and there was a time when we relied on each other absolutely. No one in the Nine Realms deserves… that."

"Tell me."

"You would not thank me for the images."

"Tell me anyway."

Thor slammed his bottle down on the floor. "So that you can revel in my brother's agony?" he snapped angrily.

"So I can understand, Thor."

_Ooh, look at me. I'm trying honesty for once._

Thor glared, but his face fell from Tony's calm expression. "He… There where… It was as though…" Thor took a breath. "Large slabs of rock hovered in the air… weightless. Hanging above the land and from the rocks there were… metal blots," Thor gestured, indicating three large blots on his own arm, "driven through his arm and into the boulders. His arms were unnaturally outstretched. Two boulders from which he hung by his arms and… his legs bolted together to a rock, acting as a weight, stretching. There was… blood and… parts of his body scattered across the ground, it was clear that whatever was done to him was… repaired. Regrown."

"Ready for the next time," Tony said expressionlessly.

"There was fire. Blades. Beatings. Poison. Electricity. Drowning. Loki… he was destroyed. I have never seen my brother… cry so… helplessly. I had never heard him beg..." Thor's voice stopped abruptly.

Tony's insides writhed. The voice of the boy was screaming that this was a betrayal, of sorts. He shouldn't be pressing for details about how his god had been tortured. But the rational Tony knew that there was a need to know here. Tony needed to understand his insane god.

Thor rubbed his eyes with his forearm; clearly the images were still haunting him now. "I was disappointed, though I little wonder that he ran from Asgard. After a year of… he would not willingly allow himself to be under anyone's power again. If only he could see that it is not _control _we want, but for him to find peace."

"What happened?"

"We cut him down."

"How?"

Thor looked at Tony with an anguished expression and Tony's stomach realised before his brain did. "The metal… if it was truly such, _could not_ be destroyed," Thor explained sadly, answering Tony's question without saying it.

"Fuck," Tony said, finishing his drink and pouring another glass. He'd never vomited off the tower before… but today didn't seem to be the right day for it. He fought down the lurching in his stomach.

"He… _regrew_ his limbs astonishingly quickly. It was clear that within his realm, Thanos was not prepared to let Loki die, but wanted him to be in eternal, excruciating pain."

"Fuck," Tony repeated.

"I carried him the entire way back. I only let him go to fight back the hordes."

"And that's why you're the hero," Tony said, comfortingly.

Thor shook his head. "I did not feel like one. I have failed him in many ways. I was too arrogant, too brash, too self-absorbed to see what was happening to a man I loved dearly. Had I seen the hate that was falling upon him sooner…"

Tony sighed. "Look, I'm no Doctor Phil. I can't tell you what might have happened if you had seen Loki was going stir crazy. But, you know, he's been on the run now for a long time and has yet to cause any mischief, so… that's something, right?"

Thor nodded. "Yes. Yes it is a comforting thought indeed."

"Well, there you go."

Thor frowned vaguely. "I only wish I knew why." He turned to Tony with a smile. "Your generosity towards one who has hurt you and your people is noble, Tony Stark."

"I've always had a thing about the underdog," Tony said with a shrug.

_Seriously? Are you trying to tell him?_

_I don't know, am I?_

"I did not expect you to be sympathetic to his suffering."

Tony shrugged. _No. I'm not ready for it._

"What about Thanos?"

Thor shrugged. "Of the Titan there was no sign. We did not wait to make his acquaintance."

"Good call." Thor finished his last beer and Tony asked curiously, "Where do you stay when you're not with Jane?"

"On the Helicarrier."

"That's no fun. Stay here. I've got a dozen guest rooms and the only person who ever uses them is Bruce. Take one on the floor below."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course Goldie Locks, it's yours. I think Bruce camps out in the one left of the elevator, so take your pick of any of the others."

Thor smiled gratefully. "Thank you my friend. It is greatly appreciated."

Tony watched Thor leave. "Jarvis? Where you listening in?"

"Yes sir."

"Can you save a recording to the Thanos project? I want to keep the details."

"Yes sir. Might I remind you that you're due to be attending the fundraiser in an hour's time? Hogan is already on the way with the limbo."

Tony's public life was spent darting between this Arc Reactor lab, Avenger publicity events and fundraisers. He was currently at The Metropolitan Museum of Art for sophisticated drinks and equally sophisticated and drab chat with people who, mostly, wanted money.

"Hi, you're Tony Stark, aren't you?"

"No."

"But-"

"Beat it."

After all, this wasn't _his_ fundraiser so he felt no need to entertain.

It was the endeavour a fellow billionaire and a friend, a man who, like Tony, had realized that hanging on to his wealth for so long was just beginning to look rude. So he was currently championing cancer research and had got Tony invested into the project for a million dollars or so.

Once the speeches were over and there was nothing left but the mingling, Tony walked away from the main body of the party and into a quieter gallery. He could feel Hogan following him so sent him off back to the bar. "What's going to happen to me in an art gallery?"

"You? Anything," the beefy Hogan said with a roll of his eyes, but left.

There was a painting round here Tony had particularly wanted to find. He located it in a side room with the classical paintings, back when real capturing real life in oils was art and not three squares of red on a canvas.

He stood in front of his find, staring at it sceptically. He had never bothered with art. That had been Pepper's thing. But she had dragged him from gallery to gallery and some of it had rubbed off. Enough to know that this _Ruben_ guy had some skill.

The little white plaque off to the side proclaimed it to be "The Rape of Ganymede", painted in 1611 on loan from the Musee D'Orsay.

Tony tilled his head, as though a change of angle might help him understand it better. Zeus, king of the gods, was currently in the form of a giant eagle. As often happened in ancient Greece, obviously. He was abducting Ganymede to take him away to Olympus to be his immortal cup bearer.

_Okay..._

You see, up until recently, such bizarre snippets of mythology hadn't played any part in his thoughts. Now however, Tony was developing into something of an armature expert. Though only myths that related to his particular case.

Tony felt a hand running up his back. He turned and almost jumped out of his skin.

"Expecting someone else, Tony?" asked Lockley in a playful tone, but hard eyes were a warning.

Tony considered going crazy, but... Loki was in his public form, wearing a very stunning dress and gazing at him with beautiful green eyes. "I'm not fucking in an art gallery," Tony said with feeling.

"You've got sex on the brain, boy. I had no such plans."

"Then why are you here?"

Tony watched Loki carefully. No anger, no flashing eyes. He assumed this wouldn't be so had Loki come to have a… _word_ about Tony spending an afternoon with Thor. Whether this meant he knew but wasn't commenting, or didn't know. Tony didn't want to find out.

"I was going to ask you the same question."

Tony gazed back at the painting.

"You are drawn to this one?"

"I heard that it was here. I've been... interested in this myth lately."

"Why?"

Tony sighed and explained it, noting the look of delighted amusement in the face. Okay, it was Loki. But when he watched the sparkle in the eyes and the superior curve of her mouth, he wished like hell he was seeing it on Loki's face.

"Very apt." Lockley said.

"He was the only one of Zeus's lovers ever to be made immortal."

"There are many parallels indeed."

"Not really. Zeus was a king."

Lockley threw him an angry look and moved off to look at the other paintings. "Don't think that because we're in public I won't beat you."

"Promise?"

Tony noted the slight relax in the frame and the small laugh. He followed Loki. Lockley. Whatever. Loki would stop at each painting, occasionally commenting on a certain aspect which pleased him. Tony just did his best to nod, though the odd snarky comment managed to make its way through.

"Do try to broaden yourself."

"Why do you care? So long as I _cum_ when I'm told."

Loki rolled his eyes, giving him an angry look. "You really are an absolute pain when you're in this mood."

Tony felt a little abashed. Because of course it's true. When he dug his heels in, he tended to get petty and petulant. _You know why? Because you're petty and petulant._

He shrugged. "Let me make it up to you. I seem to remember I promised you a meal at some point while getting fucked. Let's go get some food somewhere."

"Back at the tower?"

"A restaurant."

Lockley threw him an odd look. "Alright."

Tony found Hogan and inveigled him back to the entrance of the museum. "Get the car; bring it down to the loading bay. We'll go through the basement and meet you there. I know the manager of the gallery, he owes me."

"Why? Doom Bots? Ninjas? Aliens?"

"I'm taking a date to a restaurant, it's not the apocalypse. I just want to be discreet about it."

"You're being _discreet_?" Hogan asked, as though using the word for the first time. "Are you feeling alright?"

Tony saw Hogan's eyes suddenly pop out of his head as he caught slight of the slender, curved figure of Lockley in her long black dress. "Wow."

"Hey, eyes front," Tony snapped, feeling annoyed.

"Sorry. Yeah. Sure. I'll get the car. Hey, could you get me her number?"

Tony glared. "You want the phone number of my date? Get your own."

"Yeah, but I mean, after."

"The car, Hogan."

Tony glared at the man's retreating back with something approaching disgust rising in his chest. Not at Hogan, of course not. Hogan was great and Tony was glad to have found him. Really decent guy and could back-chat as good as he got.

But Hogan said what people thought. And there it was. After Tony had spent the night with Lockley, that would be it and she'd be up for grabs. Of course. Because Tony slept with women once then they were off his radar. Hogan was only saying what everyone knew to be true.

It made Tony slightly sick and not with anyone but himself.

The fact was, he hadn't ever planned to become this person. He hadn't ever said to himself at college he was going to one day be a fucking, self-obsessed, pathological jerk. It had just happened. He hadn't planned to become _this_ Tony Stark any more than he had planned to become the Merchant of Death or the Iron Man.

He hadn't planned to become the boy either. And that was being forced on him as well.

_Not if I just accept it._

White hand ran down his arms as lips pressed into his neck. "That didn't bother you, did it sweet boy?"

_I could just accept it. Maybe become more than the playboy. More than what I am now. What's there to lose?_

Tony pulled himself together. "Course not," he said, grabbing her hand. "Come on, let's get down to the car."

Uva Trattoria was for those with more money than sense. What was served here showed more hallmarks for art than food. The pristine cooking was put in various colours arrangements, placed with delicate care in patterns to delight the eyes. The taste was apparently not an issue. This stuff should be in back in the art gallery, not a restaurant.

Then there were the prices. A plate of coq au vin which, when all was said and done, was a posh way of saying chicken casserole, came in at enough money for a few heart transplants, or for a kid to go to school.

Okay, maybe that was an exaggeration, but it was pretty pricey for a lump of chicken in sauce. And whereas Tony would pay through the nose for his cars, suits and gadgets, if he was hungry, he'd get a McDonald's if it was close. He wasn't picky about his food.

There were very few tables in the room. Not a lot of people could afford this place, so fifteen tables made up the floor of the restaurant. The room was rectangular, and the floor was raised on one side of the room by the expansive window. It stretched the entire wall, from ceiling to floor.

Tony knew this place as it catered for those billionaires who wanted to dine away from the media spot light without being disturbed. Tony had been there once and hadn't returned after he realised that it really did live up to its name in discretion. Where was the fun in that?

_Useful though when you're dating the god of chaos..._

At one of the top tables next to the window, Tony pulled out the seat for Lockley like a gentlemen. Only to look up and realise she had taken the other seat. The hard, green eyed look she gave Tony said it all.

Female body, but still the god here.

_Right.  
_  
Tony watched Loki scanning through the menu, seemingly with disinterest. He rarely saw the god eat. He generally picked at whatever Tony happened to be eating.

The first ten minutes of this little pantomime was... Awkward. And Tony felt he could entirely be forgiven for his discomfort and his poor showing on this date. After all it was his first date with a god. And his first date as a woman who was actually a man.

The waiter glided over. "Welcome back Mr Stark. And good evening to your guest. Can we start with some drinks?"

Tony opened his mouth-

"Just the water," Lockley said. "And we'll start with the scallops and then the lamb. Medium rare. Thank you."

Both the waiter and Tony paused, this blatant breach of procedure rattling them both. But Lockley gave a bright smile which shook the waiter back to life. "Of course. Thank you."

The man left. Probably to jump onto Twitter and declare to the world that Tony Stark had been thoroughly emasculated by his date.

Tony felt the rising anger like bile in his throat. He grabbed the water and took a long drink, trying to wench the fire inside of him, before he spoke. His mouth formed words that his throat wouldn't say. Finally he settled on, "You're just a little fuck, aren't you?"

"And what did I do to displease you this time?"

"You know," Tony said darkly.

Lockley leaned forward, her long, slender arms crossed on the table. "In the bedroom, in bathroom, in this restaurant - as long as you live, I own you. Buck up, Tony, and take it like a man."

"In public, I'm Tony Stark."

"Tony Stark or not, if I strip you now, you'll still have 'My Boy' carved into your back."

Tony stood. "I'm going to the bathroom, if that's okay with you _of course_," he spat, turning away, not waiting for an answer.

He walked away angrily, crossing the floor and entering the bathroom. He locked himself into a cubicle and took a moment, leaning against the door, glaring at the ceiling.

_No matter where or when or how, Loki just wouldn't stop fucking with him._

So leave! Run! Tell Thor's what been going on and stand back and watch him pound Loki into paste with Mjölner.

Tony found he wasn't enjoying the image as much as he thought. After sometime, he rubbed his face and shuddered against the emotions. Leaving the stall, he walked over to the sink and splashed water into his face. _So decide. Back to the table or out._

Tony walked back to the main floor, his eyes locking almost immediately onto Lockley. He dithered slightly...

And walked back over.

The billionaire sat down resentfully, watching Lockley's eyes travelling the skyline out the window. "Are you seriously expecting me to do this whole evening sober?"

"If you're good, you can have a bourbon on the rocks before we leave."

"You don't get to dole out my alcohol."

Lockley gave him a harsh look. "Perhaps when you've learnt to drink responsibly."

"Look, you fucking-" Tony hauled the venom back in with effort.

Loki tipped his head onto one side. A slender hand reached out and gripped Tony's hand, a thumb stroking the knobbly bone in his wrist. "Poor sweet boy. Does my dominating ways bother you?"

Tony glared back but didn't answer. He watched the waiter place a basket of bread on the table and left.

"That's bread. Can I eat bread?"

"What do I care?"

Tony grabbed a roll and started spreading butter over one side. More to have something to do other than seethe He chewed as Lockley watched him, almost obsessively.

_Why the fuck did I suggest this?_

_Talking._

_Oh yeah, right._

"What are you doing? When you're not with me, I mean. If you're planning on taking over the world, you're taking your time."

Lockley shrugged. "My attentions have been somewhat diverted of late."

"By?"

Loki gave him a look.

Tony glanced away. "But that's still your plan, right? Armageddon still definitely on the books?"

Lockley leaned back, looking out the window again. "I'm here, except when I'm not. That is all there is to say."

Tony waited, but nothing more seemed coming. He watched the god carefully. "I think you're bored of being the rebel. It's more fun fucking with the Asgardian Court, isn't it? All you are now is the crazy guy across the street who yells abuse and throws stones if you get too close."

Green eyes flashed warningly, but the god was motionless.

Tony thought he had made his point. And he didn't want to push the god so far that he felt like he had to slap down Tony in the middle of a restaurant. _Fuck, the images..._ so he pulled back with a sigh. "Let's talk about something else."

"Let's talk about þjá ey."

"Let's talk about something else."

"Any suggestions?"

Tony leaned back as the waiter placed the plates in front of them. Loki smiled at the second waiter, some what younger than the last and definitely straight, judging by the way the smile threw him enough to trip over his own feet. Tony glared at his date, but stayed quiet. He prodded the little lumps of fish morosely. "I don't even like scallops. Did you think you ask me that before you ordered them? No."

"Don't fuss. You'll like these."

"No I won't."

"Talk to me."

Tony chewed his tongue slightly. "This is the problem, isn't it? What the fuck do you and I talk about?"

Green eyes captured him intensely. "I will listen to anything you have to say. You seem to think we don't talk because I don't care. Tony, we don't talk, because you won't."

_We fuck. We don't talk. Talking means... it means more than sex._

"You want to sit here and listen to me talk about, I don't know, cars?"

Lockley finished a scallop and picked up some bread. "Just talk, Toy. About anything you want. Just talk to me."

But it took until the appetizers had been cleared away and that awkward wait until the main course appeared for Tony to finally let his guard down. To begin with, it was halting He talked about everything and nothing, finding in Lockley an enraptured audience.

He knew Loki was a good listener. That week away in the door-less room had told him that. But that was before, after and sometimes during sex. This was… a date.

Once Tony had come to a natural end, Loki began. He was spearing with his details of his childhood, but Tony had been just as evasive.

What Loki was prepared to talk about was his later life. Learning to use magic, being in the company of Thor during the heydays. His failed attempt at taking over Asgard. Loki talked almost obsessively about his plans for Tony once they were bound together for eternity.

Tony only really came back to relativity when Lockley promoted, "Tony? Desert?"

Tony looked up at the waiter, blinking as his mind readjusted to reality. "Er… no." He turned back to Lockley with his most charming playboy smile. "I think we'll have desert back at the tower."


	33. Chapter 33: Mine

**A/N: Dark warning.**

Tony was not a natural cuddler in bed. Even with Pepper, there would be a brief cuddle, and then the two would separate to their sides of the beds. Loki wasn't so much a cuddler than a clinger. Tony wouldn't really have a choice in the matter, Loki's arms locked around him and if Tony struggled too much, he was threatened with a spanking. Sometime Tony took the god up on the offer. Sometimes he just muttered a bad word and tried to get to sleep.

He was awake now, the gods arms tightly around his chest, the man pressed up against his back. Loki's face was pressed into the back of Tony's head. Occasionally Loki would move slightly, mutter vaguely, but was otherwise still.

After the... _the date_, Tony had brought back the lovely, long legged Lockley to the tower. That was when the, if it was possible to say, the normalcy had ended. The normal world for Tony Stark. The minute they were in the tower, the world of the boy began and Loki had appeared and Tony had been dragged to the bed and...

Well, no. He hadn't been fucked into the bed. That would have been normalcy for the boy. Tony wished he had been fucked into the bed, but this time had been... different. It had been deeper, closer, more heated and not vicious or controlling. Loki had spent longer holding him, stroking him, whispering his words of romance to his little boy. He had waited for Tony to make the first moves, to drive the sex forward. They had moved with each other as though they had been in each other's minds.

It had been, in a word, _passionate_.

It worried Tony. Using Loki _as much as Loki was using him_ to satisfy that dark and dirty itch was fine. Wanting to melt into the man's arms, be cared for, loved...

_I just wanted to get fucked._

It had to be very, very early in the morning. Or very late at night. Tony wasn't sure which. He wanted to get up, to get away from the thoughts pervading him. He wanted to go down to the lab and take something apart. Then put it back together, only better. He wanted to get away from these arms.

He wondered idly about getting up. That would wake the man behind him, which would lead to a punishment, or sex. Or both. That would be good too. Punishment would distract him from that worrying thought that the sex was getting... _intimate_.

After the long chat in the restaurant, Tony was beginning to realise that they were entering in on a new… stage. Things were getting… complicated. Committed. Thoughts of Loki, sex and… _union_ hovered before him in a glittering haze, until his darker worries took over again.

_Fuck him. Fuck him and everything about him. I was fine before he turned up. _

_No. You were miserable._

He'd always been miserable. He'd coped before.

Tony swung his legs out over the side of the bed, only to feel a hand grab his arm in a firm grip. "Where are you going?"

"Bathroom," Tony muttered, pulling away. He walked into the bathroom and used the toilet.

He stood for a while at the basin, looking into the mirror. There was something happening here and he needed to think. He was just on the edge now, it was time. Commit or run?

_Fuck. I have to decide now. Things are getting way too intense to pretend it doesn't matter._

_I'm Tony fucking Stark! I am not becoming the eternal slave of any one!_

Loki had followed him in, apparently tired of waiting. "Come back to the bed, Tony."

"Can't I take a fucking piss alone?"

"No. Not anymore," Loki said, but not unkindly. A strong hand grabbed his arm and pulled him from the room. "I think we've both had enough time alone. And now we can be alone together."

"Don't touch me."

"You're thinking of the binding. Of þjá ey. Have you decided?"

"Fucking hell, don't start that again," Tony said angrily. "I gave you my answer and you almost killed me."

"Because your answer was no. I hope by now you realise it's not an answer I'm going to accept."

"Then my only choice is not to answer."

"Your only choice is to answer yes."

"You know what, why don't you go take a running leap off the tower. Fucker."

Tony wretched his arm out of Loki's grasp and pulled himself back into the bed angrily. Loki stood over him, glaring down but Tony shut his eyes and pretended furiously that Loki wasn't there. If that was even possible. Soon, the god left the bedroom.

Tony breathed out and turned over onto his stomach.

_Shit._

He drifted for a little while in the dark when he suddenly heard Loki return. Tony yelled as he was pulled out of the bed by his hair. "Come along then, little boy. It seems punishment is all you're interested in."

Tony was dragged by an arm into the living room and pulled to his feet.

Loki pointed at a large chair. "Sit."

"It's half six in the morning," Tony snapped.

"What did I say that made you think I was requesting the time? Sit."

_He wants the closeness. I'm the one who wants to get hurt._

_Which one of us is using the other?_

The thought made every cell in Tony Stark's body rebel violently against this world, this dark and shattered world that had dragged him in. Venom coated in sugar, burning him, destroying him and making him want more.

Tony would remember and regret today for the rest of his life.

Tony snapped.

His face pulled back in a smiling sneer. So Tony. "Oh, it's this again is it? Only a few hours ago you were holding me and petting me like I was the most valuable thing in the world. Does bi-polar mean anything to you?"

"The very name you so blithely cheapen in your use of _Tony_ means priceless. Anthony. Priceless. And I would take you back into that bed room now and worship every inch of you if that is what you wanted. But I think all you ever want from me is hurt. So choose. Sit in the chair and submit or go to the bed and let me love you."

Tony didn't want to choose. Hell no, he didn't want to choose! He wanted to be forced. Because if he willingly chose than that would make him... that would make him everything Loki said he was. If he choose either, he was participating.

"And after all those times you whispered you loved me," Tony sneered cruelly.

Loki looked head sternly. "And I do love you. Now choose."

"It's all just lies. You're a twisted little monster who can't get over the fact his brother is better than him. Now you're trying to play the big villain and you can't even do that right. You _love me?_ No, something like you can't even feel that."

_You're trying to make him angry. You're trying to hurt him so he'll punish you. You're destroying everything around you because it's too hard to face the truth._

_Shit._

"Choose."

"This is just over compensation, you know. After Thanos grabbed you and made you his little bitch you're doing the same thing to me!"

Loki flinched.

"Thor told me all about it, finding you crying like a little girl! You're not a hero, you're not a villain, you're a fucking joke! A twisted, sad little shit who can't achieve anything!"

Tony stopped abruptly as his brain caught up with his mouth. He felt the pain in his chest like a bullet hole. Loki's eyes were fixed on his, but that little gleam that sparkled there when they played was gone. He was just looking cold now.

_Loki once gave me a safe word to use. But he's never had one himself._

Tony felt a clawing, tightening in his throat.

_I can't believe I said that._

"What? Are you just going to stand there like a fucking moron?" Tony snapped.

_Please just hurt me. Make this better._

Loki's eyes burned in the growing light. "Choose."

_Fuck no, no... please... I can't... I've ruined this._

"I..." There was a deathly silence. The room was getting brighter as the sun rose. Tony wished it wasn't. The lighter it got, the more the pain on Loki's face was becoming apparent. "I..."

Tony closed his eyes, rubbing his face. He felt sick. There was that moment, months and months ago when Pepper walked out the door for the last time, the tears in her eyes and the apology on her lips. "I just can't do this anymore," she had whispered.

There was that brief moment when Tony knew he should have run after her. Dragged her back. Promised anything. Done anything to fix it. And he hadn't. And he was left with the pain of knowing he might have saved them both and didn't.

_Pride. That's all it is. And you let it fuck you over every time._

"I..."

Choose the bedroom and show Loki you love him too. But Loki would know Tony was playing it up because Loki had already made it clear it was his preferred event for the morning.

Choose the chair, let him punish you. But Loki would think that's all Tony wanted from this... from their relationship.

Fuck it. Yes, he said. _Their relationship._ It was black and twisted and desperate but it was Tony's and he'd rather die and lose it. If only he wasn't so... so Tony Stark. If only he had realised that before he had opened his mouth. Because Tony Stark eventually destroyed everything.

"Loki..."

"Choose."

"I just don't know."

"What's so hard? Walk into the bedroom or sit on the chair."

Tony took a step forward and stopped. "I don't-"

"Choose!"

Tony looked up. The wounded face in front of him had turned irate. It was a darker anger than Loki usually brought to the bedroom.

Tony found himself laughing. Loki cocked his head, glaring. Tony forced it down. "I've fucked this up, haven't I?"

Loki seemed to diminish. He looked away and walked to the window. Tony stared after him desperately. _If he leaves, I don't know what I'm going to do._ Loki sighed and his forehead rested on the glass.

Tony cleared his throat. "I need you. And I need you to love me. I need to be punished. And I need you to punish me." Tony stopped. All in all, he thought that summed it up pretty well. _Better stop there then_.

Loki turned. His face still looked angry, still looked pained. "Choose."

Tony felt his insides burning and writhing. He walked to his lover and grabbed his hand, pulling him back into the bedroom. Loki watched as Tony lay down and pulled his god towards him, pulling the slender body on top of him. "I'll do whatever you want, Loki," Tony said, kissing the thin lips gently. "Just don't leave."

Loki exhaled hard, like he had been holding it all inside. "Tony I'm not going to leave. I'm never going to leave. Stop. Just stop thinking that- there's nothing you can say or do. I'm not leaving. I'm never leaving. I love you. I just don't like you."

That hurt. _Maybe you'll learn to stop being such a dick._

_He started it._

_No, he didn't. Not this time he didn't._

Tony wrapped his arms round Loki, suckling on the man's tongue, pulling him close. Their legs intertwined and Tony rubbed himself against Loki like a cat asking to be stroked. Tony kissed Loki's neck, jaw, shoulder, anything; soothing the warm skin beneath his lips with gentle caresses. He ran his fingers through the soft black hair, pulling the head down again to capture Loki's lips. He couldn't remember ever making such tender love to the man before. It had always been Loki's attentions on him. Not the other way around.

_Isn't that the point? You've never admitted it to yourself. You've never admitted it to him._

Because when it came down to it, the god told Tony he loved him almost every day. And Tony whined and sulked like a child and fought off every advance from Loki, even when Tony secretly wanted it.

_He tells me he loves me every time he sees me._

_How many times have I said it back?_

_Once. I think._

_Fuck. I've destroyed another relationship. _

Loki was tense. Stiff and unmoveable. His eyes were cold. Tony closed his eyes, avoiding the glare. "Do you want to hurt me instead?"

Loki rolled onto his back, his warm body leaving Tony. "I don't think I could hurt you enough."

"You could try."

Loki snorted. "And I awoke in such a good mood, too."

Tony ran his fingers down Loki's arm. "I remember what you taught me in that week away. I could worship you, if you want?"

"If you feel you must ask, then you missed the point entirely. Do not insult us both by pretending."

Tony could have argued that it wouldn't be pretend, but he'd be doing it to save his skin, not because he was actually _worshipping_ (according to Loki's crazy ideas on the subject). That wasn't an option open then.

_You could try fucking apologising._

Tony realised he hadn't apologised. But the word stuck in his throat. He bent down to take Loki's cock in his mouth but his face was pushed away. "No."

Tony sat back, not knowing what to do. "I... I'm going to... go down to the lab. You just… come and find me there if you want me, man."

_Stop me! Don't let me leave!_

Loki didn't say anything.

Tony coughed, trying to stop the tightening in his throat. "I need to fix that… that fault in the new visor. You should see it, it's like being on LSD," he said with a small laugh. Loki was staring at the ceiling. Tony couldn't even be sure he had being listening at all.

"So, this is our first fight. Ha. We'll laugh about this later." He shuddered as he pulled on jeans and a t-shirt and grabbed his shoes on the way out of the room. "Maybe a lot later. I'll… just... down stairs." He rushed into the lift, out of the room that had suddenly become horribly oppressive and hit the button for the lab.

His body slid to the floor as the lift doors closed.

_It's over._

He started violently as the doors were wretched open. Loki pushed them back with supernatural strength, the metal and mechanics making horrible whirring and grinding noises as his strength pushed back on the motor. The god's eyes were flashing darkly. "Get in the chair."

"Wh-"

"Get in the chair!"

Tony hurried, pulling off his clothes and sitting down. His arms were already in a position to be tied before Loki had even made it to his side. Leather wrapped around his wrists, waist and ankles.

Tony licked his lips and whispered, "Thank you."

Tony stared into the pale, angry face, and felt his length giving those first signs of stiffing. Loki grasped him and jerked roughly. Tony kept his eyes locked on Loki's as he got harder under the abuse.

_Just say it! _"I'll accept þjá ey."

Loki smacked his face hard. "Do not say that now."

"I will."

Smack! Tony face jerked to the side hard. His skin stung with the blow.

"I will not accept that now."

Tony looked back, anxiety and horror in his eyes. "What, suddenly you don't want to?"

Tony head leached sideways again. He blinked and tasted blood. That wasn't a slap, that had been a punch. He groaned and felt his cock twitching in Loki's hand as he felt the pain in his jaw. The pain made him hard.

_He did this to me._

"You can't turn me into _this_ and leave me," Tony hissed.

"You and I will bind, make no mistake. But I will not hear you make promises right now. Promises you will forget at your climax. Do not speak further unless you are spoken to."

Tony closed his mouth and arched his head back over the seat. The hand at his cock and the pain in his mouth was rushing him to orgasm. He grunted, squirming, unable to buck because of the tight bondage. He wanted to cry out that he needed this, wanted this, that he was so happy that it was Loki doing this to him. But he kept his mouth shut.

"Do you think I'm going to let you cum?"

Tony looked up through heavy lidded, lust filled eyes and licked his lips. Truth was probably the best bet here. "No."

"Genius." Loki walked away. Tony let out a desperate cry but bit back any words. Loki was walking to the bar. "I don't hate you, Tony."

_Brilliant! Then we're moving in the right direction at least._

"I just tire of you games. Maybe I haven't been harsh enough with you."

_Please be harsh._

Loki moved round, holding a bottle. Vodka. He opened it and pushed the neck into Tony's mouth. Tony choked, but drank quickly. It was that or be drowned. Loki didn't give him a lot, but enough to give him that pleasurable warm sensation.

The long glass neck was pulled out his mouth. Tony shivered as Loki drenched a blade. "You're going to stay completely still."

Tony nodded. Loki started with his forearm. Tony couldn't look as the sharp blade pulled across the soft underside of his arm, cutting him, opening him. His breathing slowed and his cock ached and throbbed. He looked back at Loki, reeling in the pain and pleasure. Loki's eyes were concentrated, focused entirely on his art.

Tony looked down and blanched. On some level, he had been expecting words. Loki had already shown a desire to carve himself into his boy's body. Other than that, Tony didn't know what he was expecting. Slut. Whore. Traitor.

Something to hurt him. Something to remind him of his place. Something to show his attempt to end their relationship had proven him to be the ungrateful, belligerent, worthless creature on some deep dark level Tony had always believed he was.

He hadn't expected _LOVER_.

Tony looked up at Loki in shock. "I'm sorry," he said immediately.

What had stopped him before? Pride. Why was it easier to say it now? Because he had believed earlier that _sorry_ would be the last thing Loki heard from him before leaving him. And Tony hadn't wanted to give the god the satisfaction of walking out with Tony's weeping pleas ringing in his ears.

But Loki wasn't leaving. He was cutting – not hate or viciousness into Tony, but love. _Lover_. Instead of destroying the relationship and watching Loki walk out, Tony realised could instead be faced with having destroyed the relationship and seeing Loki every day with that cold look.

"Loki, I'm sorry," Tony said more loudly, his eyes fixed on the face as cold and distant as the moon as it walked around him and came to rest on the other arm.

"Loki, I-ah!" Tony winced as the cutting began again.

He forced himself to watch this time as the blade ran across his flesh, creating its curly lines of red which ran down his arm and onto the chair. S. W. E. E. T.

Sweet. Sweet Lover.

"Loki, please, I'm sorry!" he gasped, hot tears falling down his face as Loki killed him with words of love.

Loki knelt down and the blade was against Tony's thigh. It rested there. Loki's green eyes rose to his silently.

Tony stared, blinking hard to try and clear his sight of tears. "Cut me," he begged.

Loki turned back and his skin was opened. Blood ran down his thigh. It was almost releasing. Every cut was washing away the pain.

"Yess," Tony gasped. His cock was throbbing. Loki was so close to his aching length but didn't spare it a glance. Tony looked back quickly. P and R were already carved. E. T. T. Y.

Loki moved to the other thigh.

"Don't stop, don't stop, don't ever stop," Tony whimpered.

M. I. N. E.

_Lover. Sweet. Pretty. Mine._

Tony panted, straining against the leather, his head throwing back to stare unseeingly at the ceiling. He cried in ecstasy as cold engulfed in. He looked down to see the blue skinned Loki sucking him.

"Please!" Tony screamed.

It was so amazing and agonising. Like a human's mouth is hotter than their skin, so Jotun mouths seemed to be colder than their palms. This was a new level of cold to Tony. It hurt beyond imagining and was propelling him into a level of rapture he had never felt before.

"Loki, Loki, Loki!" The name ever left his lips. It became a chant, a prayer.

It was worship. This was it. This was what Loki had being asking for and now Tony delivered. Threw back his head and prayed to his god for mercy.

Tony flailed and writhed but was kept on the edge. Loki released him and he screamed in frustration.

"You have a safe word. Use it."

Tony shook his head violently. _Never._

He was screaming again when the mouth returned. Tony wasn't sure how much he could take. It was too much, it hurt so much. The pain and agony he was feeling... and had caused.

If only Loki had just beaten him to a pulp. That would have been so much easier to cope with.

Tony sobbed like a child as Loki left him again, his erection bobbing desperately. Warm hands were stroking his shoulders. He looked up into gentle green eyes. Loki sighed and kissed him. Tony's heart fluttered. "I understand, Tony. I know we will have so many more fights in the centuries to come."

Loki knelt back down in front of him and rubbed balm carefully into each letter. He spoke slowly and softly. "Once we are bound, you will come to understand that I will never leave. That will at least prevent your need to destroy before being destroyed."

"No," Tony whined.

Loki looked up. "No what?"

Tony shifted his right thigh away from Loki's fingers. The wounds on his arms and left thigh were already healing, turning now to closed cuts and by dinner, would probably be gone completely.

MINE still leaked blood.

Loki stared at Tony, not seeming to understand and moved back with the salve.

"No," Tony whined again more urgently. "Leave it."

Loki understood this time. "It will scar," he said slowly.

Tony nodded. Loki patted him gently. "Be still while I dress it."

Once Loki was finished, he pulled his boy up out of the chair and helped him to the shower. In the end, Loki seemed to decide that Tony's dead weight was too much of a chore and conjured chains to hold him up. He washed him carefully, and pressed a slick coated finger into him. Tony whimpered and his still massively hard cock twitched, remaining it's owner it was still there and still driving him crazy.

"When I have finished washing you, I am going to take you."

Two fingers gliding in and out. Three. Four. Tony tried to shift away. "Please... too close..."

"Sh. Hold your orgasm, boy. I promise to make it worthwhile."

Tony fought to keep control. Loki finished the washing and carried him into the bedroom. "Up or down?"

"I need to see you." _So I know you're still here._

"Up it is," Loki said, flipping Tony over on the bed.

"I love you," Tony said softy as Loki spread his legs.

"I know. I love you too. Just relax." Loki pushed in immediately. Tony had been so focused on his mire of pain and lust that he hadn't realised how hard, how eager Loki was.

The pounding was intense, far harder than he had ever felt it. To his shame, Tony came with an explosive wail on the third stroke. Arms wrapped around him as Loki continued, but Tony didn't remember anymore. As he slipped into unconsciousness, he was left with the sound of Loki's harsh panting against his ear and the sound of flesh smacking together as he thrust. The sound made its way into his dreams.

Tony woke up in the mid-afternoon. He had spent his sleep in nightmares about waking up and finding Loki gone. Instead, the reality was the god was reading a book in the bed beside him. Tony leaned up to say something, then collapsed in a gurgling mess of pain. Fuck. He wasn't going to able to move for hours.

"I would remain still if I were you," Loki said idly, turning a page.

"Thanks for the heads up," Tony growled.

"Don't mention it. If you need to urinate, I will find a bottle. Otherwise, I have ordered food from a takeaway your mechanical servant suggested. I will feed you here."

Tony looked up. Loki smiled at him and there was nothing but tender care in his face. How could he be sure it wasn't an act? "I..." he couldn't think what to say. "I'm fine. Don't stay if you don't want to."

"Silly boy. Who will look after you if not me?"

**A/N: It's gone really rather dark. We all knew it was going to happen. These two just too stubborn, proud and strong for either to give in (as Loki is 'giving in' just as much as Tony is) without an explosion. **

'**The big argument', as it was naturally going to be, is something I wanted to get out of the way now so that I wouldn't have to deal with later. It'll lighten up now, I promise.**


	34. Chapter 34: Comforting

After the _big argument_, which had left Tony with a new scar to furtively covet, Tony and Loki had come to a new understanding. Tony had... in so many words, accepted Loki's need to bind with him. Although they hadn't set a time or date, Tony now agreed that it would happen. It had made them closer in a way that Tony had secretly been longing for.

Oh, they still fought like cat and dog, but the pain of believing that this was no more than a fleeting dream was gone from Tony.

And… and after what Tony had learned from Thor…

Tony wanted to do something for Loki. To try and make it clear to him… Tony didn't use the _L word_ and that wasn't just because the object of his desire was currently an insane male god. Tony just didn't say… that at all. But there was a marriage of sorts approaching and between now and then, there were a lot of opportunities to hurt Loki.

Tony wanted to rebel, to sneer, and to fight for all he was worth. But he didn't want to _hurt_ Loki. Not hurt him like he had done during their fight.

Loki doted on Tony and Tony retained his sanity by pretending he was being forced. And as unlikely as that was ever to change, clearly too much indifference and hate on Tony's part wounded Loki.

It had been a few days since they had last seen each other. That was Tony's fault. The Doom Bot had taken up all of his attention. After some red flags had been raised, it had been decided that the bot was best left on the carrier. Unless, of course, Tony wanted to be sporting that healthy uranium glow. Like it or not, Tony just didn't have the facilities to cater to such highly radio active material.

He and Bruce had been spending hours on end pouring over the circuitry. After several days of nerd stuff, Tony and Bruce had eventually admitted defeat. There was nothing more they could learn from the remains of the metal solider. All the relevant information had been sent to Jarvis to do this thing. Bruce had muttered something about an old friend who might be able to help and had gone off to Hong Kong.

Tony had nicked a few components from the Helicarrier lab and brought them back to Stark Tower, reasoning that through sheer stubborn persistence, there must be something more he could learn.

Not that they hadn't learnt a lot. They knew how to fight them now, where the weaknesses were in the frame and the joints.

But that wasn't enough for Tony. Doom would already be upgrading and redesigning. Soon, everything they knew would be out of date. Tony wanted that one core weakness that was inherent in Doom's designs. It had to be somewhere. After all, it's not like he was Tony Stark. He had to have made a mistake somewhere and it was up to Tony to find it.

The team had there asses handed to them in that last fight. Tony didn't ever want it to happen again. "Jarvis, how long until the diagnostics are finished?"

"Three minutes sooner than when you last asked, sir."

"When did I last ask?"

"Three minutes ago, sir."

Tony chewed his lip. "How about now?"

"Sir, a watched diagnostic does not run any faster. Might I suggest doing something to take your mind off it?"

Tony considered for a while… then smiled gleefully. He pulled out the gold tube, stroked his thumb over the carvings and thought of his god.

"Pretty boy," the sultry voice soothed.

"Hey," Tony said.

Loki was standing in the middle of the room, watching him curiously. "My little boy called me? Can it be he is desperate for his god?"

"Always."

Tony's confession seemed to momentarily stun Loki, but he recovered quickly. A tongue darted over thin lips as he began to move. He was pacing in front of him, as though desperate to get his hands on Tony and holding himself back.

Tony didn't want him to hold back. Tony wanted to get fucked.

"I am glad you called."

"Really?"

"Of course. Recently, I discovered a Midgardian treasure. I wish to play tonight."

Tony raised his arms. "Well, I'm right here."

"Yes, yes you are. But I wish us to go to our special place."

"Special pl... You mean that room with no windows or doors."

"And no chance of your escape," Loki said, licking his lips eagerly once more.

Tony frowned slightly. "Special place sounds wrong. And not the good kind of wrong."

"Name it, my love and that's what it shall be called."

Tony thought. "We could just go classic and call it a dungeon."

But the look in Loki's face told Tony he wasn't happy about the idea at all. He looked away and shrugged. "If that's what my boy wishes. However, I am appalled by the suggestion that I would ever allow you to remain even one second in a dungeon."

Tony realised that of all people, Loki had the experience. He scolded himself for not thinking.

_See? Even when you're trying to be good, you stick your fucking foot in it.__  
_  
He stepped forward, closing the distance and running a hand down Loki's face. "Why don't we just call it home?"

"Is this not your home?"

Tony shrugged. "Nah. This is just the tower."

Loki smiled, his eyes lighting up. "I am going to have so much fun with you tonight."

Tony sighed and shook his head. "Promises, promises."

"Diagnostic complete, sir."

"What?" Loki asked, confused.

"Ignore him," Tony said. "Let's go."

When they arrived in windowless, door less room, the order came immediately to strip. It was made clear to Tony he would never be clothed in this room. That was fine by him. "On the bed?" Tony asked, moving towards it.

A playful slap swung out and smacked him on the behind. "Don't assume anything, boy."

Tony turned to face Loki and glared.

"You might have noticed a few things have been added to our... _home_," Loki breathed out the word like it was the most amazing thing he had ever said.

Tony glanced around. "Well, there's a chair over there that's been bolted to the ground."

"Guess where you're going?"

"I just love guessing games," Tony muttered as he walked over to the chair.

It was covered with restraints and he relaxed, closing his eyes as Loki tied and tightened very one into place. Tony's least favourite had to be the strap across his forehead, holding his head in place. The last came across his chest, just under his arc reactor.

Loki pulled too hard and he winced. Loki paused. "It must be tight, my toy, but not painful. You understand? I will trust you to tell me and not lie as I believe you yearn for my games as much as I do. Too tight?"

Tony nodded. The strap became looser. "And now?"

Tony paused, the mischievous, defiant side of him briefly raising its head. But he wanted the game. He wanted it so much.

Tony shook his head and mumbled, "Too loose."

"It is a fine art. Construction of breath without disruption." Loki planted a delicate kiss on Tony's cheek. "Don't worry my love, we will get it perfect."

Once Tony couldn't move a muscle, Loki's fingers tapped the arc in his chest. "How long can this be removed before death?" Loki asked, rubbing his fingers over and over the metal.

Tony calculated quickly. "About five minutes at a stretch."

"We'll say four minutes," Loki said, in almost a scholarly tone. "And how long before pain?"

"Between a minute, a minute and a half if my heart rate is stable when it's removed. Can only be seconds if it's beating too fast."

Loki's fingers pressed down on the arc and turned. Tony stilled his breathing as much as he could. He felt the inaudible click and watched Loki pull it away. He held it in his hand carefully. "I did not think so much about it the first time," he said, running his fingers over it delicately.

Tony felt the instinctual panic building in him, but he wasn't actually scared.

_I trust him. I actually trust him. Fuck. When did that happen?_

Loki bent slightly, looking into the hole in his chest. He put his hand in. He had a doctor-like abstracted manner as he explored. Pepper had squealed and hated it. Demanded never to do it again. Loki was taking the time to learn.

He glanced up at Tony's curious expression. "There's more to looking after a boy then keeping him sexually satisfied," he explained with a smirk. "I must know how to keep you in working order."

Tony couldn't speak. The whole moment was bizarrely intimate and gentle. A comfortable warmth in such a vulnerable position was embracing him.

_I trust him. _

Loki kissed his pectoral muscle and slid the arc reactor back in. He stared at the light. "Can this be powered by any power source?"

"Anything that won't kill me."

"Magic?"

"No idea."

Loki stroked Tony's stomach soothingly. "I think that's enough for now. I have no desire to put anymore strain on you."

"So no sex?" Tony asked cockily but secretly disappointed. He shouldn't have worried.

Loki laughed and shook his head. "Don't be silly, boy. You will not escape your duty that easily."

Tony smiled inwardly. "My duty is to save the world and pay taxes. It's not to give blow jobs."

"Hush, my sweet."

"It's certainly not a duty you'd find in the constitution anywhere."

The god kissed him passionately, cutting off his witticisms, and pushed a gag between his lips. This one was different from a ball gag. It was just a metal plate which was designed to push Tony's tongue down. It was an odd sensation.

Loki walked over to the larger of the two cabinets. He stroked the wood loving. "All my toys are in here. Ha. Toys for my toy. Most would be considered outdated and old fashion by your standards, but they still have their uses. However, my discoveries in Midgard have proved revolutionary." Loki glanced over with an evil smirk. "How could I have guessed the talents of your pitiful race had actually been channelled entirely into sex?"

Tony wanted to spit at him. The arc reactor, discovery of DNA, space travel. The human race had invented more than Viagra.

Loki returned with a blindfold. "No peeking."

Tony was left in darkness. He sighed dismally and waited. And waited.

Nothing came.

He waited longer.

Nothing.

Carefully, cautiously, he began to test the restraints. It would catch Loki's attention if he saw him fighting against the bonds.

But there was no rebukes, no touches.

Tony frowned slightly. He tried to move in such a way to push the blindfold off but the strap holding his head in place didn't allow the moment. No moment at all was possible. It felt suffocating. It had been uncomfortable before. Now it was alarming.

He moaned slightly. There was no answer.

Tony tried to call out, but the gag turned it into an incomprehensible gargling.

He started to panic. He thought of being left. Of being stuck here for, god knows how long. In a room with no windows and no doors in a world that could only, it seemed, be accessed by Loki. Tony didn't even know where this place was based in the world. If they were still in the world.

He felt himself panting. He felt the blood rising in his neck. He felt the lurching in his stomach. He tried to calculate how long he had been sitting and gave up.

Tony panted but the strap across his chest stopped him from taking a full breath.

He fought hard now, arching and throwing his body from side to side. But the bondage was absolute and he couldn't move an inch.

His world was spiraling down, cracking into pieces, falling away until he was nothing but a boy, screaming out, chest heaving with sods, crying out for attention.

"Sh, sh, sh, my sweet boy, I am here," Loki's hands were stroking his face and shoulders. "I did not leave your side for a moment, I was always standing in front of you. I am here."

Tony couldn't stop now he'd started, tears coming thick and fast. Loki petted and soothed until Tony was finally still. He felt dizzy, tired and sick.

Loki's fingertips stroked his hand. The only thing Tony could do was move his fingers, grasping and ungrasping the arms of the chair. Loki took advantage of that. "I would like to play with you now, but I understand how psychologically stressful that can be. Months in such darkness I spent in a cell in Asgard before my escape. It can prove to be… expanding. With some control over your emotions and mind, you can reach a level of unconscious that is so... freeing. But clearly you are not ready for that. So, raise for me two fingers if you wish to stop and rest for a bit. One if you wish to continue."

One finger.

Probably not the finger Loki had been expecting.

Loki chuckled slightly. "I have been on Midgard long enough to know when I am being insulted. No matter. I will make you pay for it in the fullness of time."

Tony smirked inward. Bastard had it coming.

"I have several new toys and I cannot decide which to use on you first." Loki sounded a ways off. It was explained as Tony heard a creek of a cabinet. "Hum..." Loki seemed to be pondering.

Tony waited. Too soon however, the silence once again became too much. Tears pricked his eyes again. He made a noise behind the gag.

"Sh, I'm still here. Just choosing." There was a pause, then Loki said, "This one first, I think. You are long overdue some pain."

Tony's heart leapt with excitement.

"We will start on a weak setting."

There was a flinching, burning sensation in his arm and it was over as suddenly as he had felt it. He would have jumped out of the chair had he not been strapped in. He screamed into the gag.

Loki tsked wearily. "Maybe slightly lower than that, then. Really Tony, I did test it on myself first and barely felt it. Such a delicate little creature you are."

It happened again, this time on his thigh. It didn't feel any less painful. Two and two suddenly became four.

_God help me, the fucking god of chaos has discovered the cattle prod. I'm so fucked.__  
_  
Now he knew why the gag was different. A depressing gag so he would not swallow his own tongue. That was not a promising sign if Tony was hoping that Loki was going to get bored of this quickly. Tony jerked again, the sharp tingling pain on his hip. Again, on his leg. There was a pause and Tony lurched forward (or tried to against too strict bondage) as there was a zap to his ass.

"Ha! How wonderful," Loki crooned delighted. Tony felt the shock against his ass again and bellowed in protest.

There was a long pause. Tony jumped as he felt metal on his carf, but there was no electricity. The two tiny prongs of metal glided up his leg, across his thigh, up his stomach and came to rest on his nipple.

Tony braced himself, his stomach doing summersaults in expectation. There was a shock. And another. And a third. Tony's body lurched and shuddered. He whimpered and wailed and whined. A hot tongue was suddenly swiping back and forth across the now overly sensitive bud. Tony revelled in the feeling, pulling every twinge of pleasure from it because he knew-

There was a shock against the other nipple. And another and another. Then lips appeared to tease it into hardness like its fellow. Tony gargled with the weight of emotion and shivered as he felt his gag being pulled out.

"Four letter word starting with F," Loki said soothingly.

"Fuck,'' Tony whined.

He heard Loki's joyous laughter and felt his heart soaring so high.

"No," Loki managed to choke out, finally composing himself. "No, you frustratingly darling boy. Our four letter word, starting with F that spells stop. Now's your chance for a little while."

_Fury.__  
_  
Tony didn't say anything.

"Nothing to add?"

"Fuck."

"Okay." The gag was pushed back in and tightened. "I am beginning to see the advantages of this safe word. It certainly means that you have no one to blame for your pain but yourself."

_Shut up and hurt me, drama queen._

The shocks began again. They were so fucking strategic. So perfectly placed to hurt and arouse. Loki seemed to get lost in the thrill of seeing his boy give a huge, whole bodied flinched that the shocking seemed to go on for hours.

Tony hung limply in the restraints, flinching with the pain, but otherwise just unconsciously shivering. He heard Loki sigh. He pulled himself back to the here and now as he realised the last shock had been some little time ago.

He could hear a sound. It look a little moment to identify but when he did, Tony groaned heatedly.

"You want this, don't you boy?" Loki said, his voice stained from his ministrations on himself.

Tony moaned again. He could practically taste Loki already, so vivid were his memories of that cock.

"Maybe. Groan for me Tony. Good boy." Loki laughed gently. "Such a toy I have. You will have your prize, of course." Tony was untied and dragged over to the bed.

Loki chuckled to himself again. He sat up on Tony's face and for a second, fed his cock into Tony's eager mouth and then leant down to take Tony's length.

Tony hummed delightedly opening wide to take him deeper, lifting his body so he could wrap his arm around Loki's hips and pull him further down. Like last time, Loki's attention on Tony's cock was lazy and slow, more designed to encourage Tony along in his lust than relieve him. Tony didn't need the encouraging.

"It's been too long, Tony," Loki said quietly. There was no edge in his voice. It was a statement.

Tony nodded, sucking hard, grabbing Loki's hips, pulling him closer. He thought about replying, but decided just to play the boy right now.

"Let's not let that happen again," he said smoothly, then swallowed Tony down to the hilt to prevent any disagreement.

_Fuck no, no, never again! I'll never leave you for more than a minute again!_

Tony hips bucked up but were forced down against the bed, trapped under the weight of Loki's strength. Loki controlled the pace. Loki controlled what pleasure he felt and when.

_Fuck yes!_

And all the while, Loki's hips bounced and ground against Tony's face, equally controlling what pleasure he himself felt and when.

_Never let this end_.

How many times had he thought that with this man? How many times had he thought it before him? Not at all that he could recall. Not with this sort of violent passion.

Tony was writhing, squirming, his body going crazy while his mouth clung to Loki's length. All too soon Loki growled and Tony felt the rush into his mouth. He choked and gagged as the stream forced its way into his throat. Just when he thought he was going to drown on it, he was slammed hard into the wall of his own orgasm. He arched hard and felt Loki greedily gulping him down.

Tony went limp as he finally finished, slowly being crushed by the weight of an equally exhausted god. Loki finally rolled off and pulled himself up to Tony. Both slept for a while, each dreaming of the other.

Tony woke some time later, curled up in the large bed. "Cattle prod," he muttered thickly.

Loki was leaning over him in seconds, kissing his skin with an open mouth. "Yes, my love?"

"Will you do it again?"

"Yes. I assumed my boy liked it?"

"Well duh."

"I'm glad. I had thought myself just a little too harsh."

"I like evil Loki, sometimes."

"Am I not evil all the time?"

Tony's eyes opened and he stared at the bed. Above him, Loki's lips on his neck and shoulder were becoming more urgent. Tony half turned so he could see the face, "You know you're not."

"I know nothing of the sort. All I can say, my boy, is if you have seen within me anything else in me, it is entirely inspired by you."

Tony rolled onto his back and Loki shifted on top. The movement was so natural to both of them and Tony arched his neck back to allow Loki access to his favourite spot. Lips and tongue caressed the sensitive skin of Tony's jugular vein.

"I wish you had come before. I wish we had met years ago." Tony didn't know why he said it, but it was too late to try and lie now.

Loki seemed to think on this seriously. "No. You would not have become the Iron Man. I certainly wouldn't have allowed it. And while I do not like it, I don't deny its importance for who you are today." Loki leaned back momentarily, giving Tony his most sly smile. "But don't concern yourself love. We have many thousands of years to make up for my tardiness. All I regret is that I should have dragged you to the bedroom and not thrown you through a window."

Tony let Loki work his magic over him as he lay still, staring at nothing. Soon, Loki was picking Tony up in his arms like a child. Tony squirmed slightly, uncomfortable. He couldn't remember this happening many times while he was conscious. Okay, a fireman's lift, that was different. This was a more intimate way of carrying him. He didn't like the vulnerability of it, the marked power Loki had in this act.

"I can walk. Stop it! Fuck it, Loki, put me-"

"Quiet boy." Loki walked them to the bathroom area. "I know we have so far favoured our showers, but now I wish to show you to benefits of a bath."

Loki's magic had quickly filled the large golden tub with warm water and slipped Tony in like a protesting child.

Once Tony was up to his neck in the warm water, all his anxieties disappeared. He sighed and moaned as Loki slipped in with him. Loki looked worried, scanning Tony's face for discomfort or concern. Tony glanced at him questionably.

"Your arc reactor. I was concerned-"

"I didn't design this thing half-assed. It's safe in water."

"You will not be harmed?"

"Maybe if I'm naughty," Tony said, deep and husky. Part of him wanted to curl up and die _I cannot believe you just said that_. The other half was getting all sorts of excited at the look of astonished delight on his god's face.

_I'm his. If I can't say the things I want with him then what's the point?_

"You're being such a good boy today."

"I do need you, you know." _Why can't I just say it?_

Tony didn't have to. Loki smiled, "I know. I love you too, my sweet." Loki relaxed and moved in.

There was a few moments of shifting until Loki lay over him, Tony's legs hooked up and over the narrow and devastatingly powerful hips.

_Foreplay_, he found himself muttering internally. _Since when was I ever such a fan of foreplay?_

_Maybe since you got with a god who makes you cum too soon, or too painfully or in such a weird way you barely have time to notice the pleasure. I've learnt to enjoy the tender moments.__  
_  
Tony groaned as his arms wrapped around the lean figure, pulling him close. Loki's lips parted and a pink tongue gently ran over them, making them seem full and shiny. Tony took the incentive, forcing his tongue into the warm, rich mouth.

Loki broke the kiss to breathe, "Enjoying this, aren't you boy?"

Tony recaptured the thin lips, one hand pulling the head down closer. Too soon, pelvises were grinding over one another, warm, wet and hard cocks sliding over and over one another.

As the pace quickened, Tony was afraid he was going to cum here and now. He tried to pull his hips away. "No. I don't want to cum like this."

"Then how do you wish to cum?"

Tony shifted slightly in silence, getting used to the confining space and the predator holding him down. If he had thought that the shower had been the perfect example of Loki dominating him in a small space, it was nothing to this.

The shower...

"How hot can you make this water?"

Loki shrugged. "Magic. As hot as the suns. Why..." Loki seemed to catch up. He sighed. "I begin to wonder if you are more in love with the monster than-"

Tony grabbed Loki's hair tightly and forced him to look at Tony. "Stop it. Just fucking stop it. You're no less you when you wear your ice giant form than when I wear my suit."

Loki looked defiant. "I do not want the Iron Man."

"And I want all of you. If you can't accept all of me, that's fine. Your loss. But I want every inch of you and I want it all to be mine. Now stop mucking around and fuck me!"

Tony winced as the water began to boil. But immediately, ice cold was encompassing him, holding him. Tony clung to him. This was Heaven, it had to be. Tony was converted, he finally believed. This was Heaven. Heaven was a burning hot bath and a Jotun wrapped around you, thrusting his cold hips into your body and an icy cold cock rubbing painfully, deliciously against yours.

"In me," Tony pleaded in a weak voice. "In me, in me, in me, in me please, please."

Loki reached down, guiding his icy cock into Tony's ass. When he pushed, even though Tony begged for it, the boy still threw himself back, trying to escape it. One arm flew out of the side of the bath, almost trying to pull himself up off it. It was an instinctual reaction and one Loki secretly enjoyed. To see Tony's body in dire distress at the painful intrusion, but knowing that not only had his boy begged for it, but also would beg for more.

Tony felt a long few minutes squirming, thrashing, legs kicking helplessly out. Ice was rubbing against nerve ends that were never designed to feel it and fuck did it feel good. Water around them sloshed and splashed out of the bath, falling to the floor. He bucked up and felt the cock moving in and out and whined in twisted pleasure.

He was failing around like a dying fish until Loki finally took mercy on him and took control. "Still yourself, boy."

At the command, every new found submissive bone in Tony's body piled in to force him still. His body shuddered with the effort of obeying.

"Good boy."

Tony smiled at the approval. There were so many chances with Loki to gain a pat on the head. With his father he had to get straight As, get into the top university, pass cum ladue, take over a weapons empire. And the approval, when and if it finally came, had been so little.

With Loki now, Tony had to stay still. It was hard, but when he did he could feel Loki's satisfaction that he had obeyed and it buoyed him up, gave him wings.

"Obedience engenders reward," Loki breathed.

When Loki began thrusting, Tony's eyes were already rolling back. "Oh fuck! Oh it's so fucking good!" He cried out. It was so much more intense and deep that the shower as they were lying down and Loki had more room to plough forward.

Tony's body raised out of the water with every thrust. His straining arms clawed out and grabbed that the beautifully defined chest. He held on, teeth chattering, back scalding hot as Loki began to pound harder.

"Talk to me," Tony whimpered. Tony had been worried his little talk before the sex had made Loki angry.

He needn't have worried.

"My little boy, so hapless and hard for my abuses. Do you whimper to cum? Should I allow it? I find your body works all the harder when your desperate. How would it be if I kept you naked and erect for several decades? Think of the slave I'd have then."

Tony whimpered again. "Yes, yes, anything, anything," he muttered distractedly, focusing on the solid length pushing forward, rubbing very nerve ending, hitting his prostate and the burst of light and pleasure that would flare up inside of him, making his stomach do flips. Then the long pull back all the way to the head that would rest just holding the ring open wide. It was like Loki dragged his insides out with him and Tony would brace for the pause and rushing thrust. And here, clinging onto the blue skin, eyes darting up to stare at the red, lust filled eyes, Tony could pretend to himself that it never had to end.

But it did and soon Loki was hammering roughly on the home stretch. Tony was pushed back against the side of the bath, Loki holding him down. Tony had to tip his head up to stay above water as the force had made him slip down. "Look into my eyes - my eyes boy! Don't you dare take your eyes of me for a second, not even when I make you cum. Look at me!"

Tony forced himself to stare up. The pure demand Loki was making, his possessiveness and control was too much. "I'm- oh, fuck," Tony wailed. He came and his vision even bright and hazy. It was like fireworks behind his eyes, like his body had been tensing to the point of implosion and now exploded.

Tony drifted in and out of consciousness and faintly registered a yell of bliss above him and then-

Loki was banging his back. Tony coughed and spluttered. He was on the floor of the bathroom area. He looked up dizzily. Loki looked furious.

_Passing out twice in a day. Record.__  
_  
"Wh-zat?" He complained thickly.

"You almost drowned, you stupid child!" Loki spat.

Tony thought back and smiled luxuriously.

"Take that banal grin off your face," Loki hissed.

Tony looked up again, seductive eyes raking Loki. Tony moved over onto his side, his wet, tonned body appearing now more godlike that Loki's own. Tony licked his lips and smirked at Loki's shudder.

"Best. Yet," Tony sighed, his mouth parting with wet lips.

Loki was staring down at him. "How do you do this to me, Tony? For a thousand years I have lived and taken anyone and anything that took my fancy. How is it that one little boy should turn my world into such a glorious nightmare?"

Tony rolled his hips and heard Loki's responding croon in Loki's throat. "You wanna fuck me again?"

Loki shook his head. Tony couldn't believe it, but the god was actually backing away. Tony smiled inwardly.

"No. No, you're too weak. I can't... You almost-"

Tony licked his lips again. "Come on..." He purred.

Loki hesitated for a long time, before finally lifting Tony in his arms and laying back out over the bed, almost like a human sacrifice. _Fuck where did that image come from?_ Tony rolled over and all but offered his ass.

"I don't want to risk-"

"Hit me."

"Tony-"

"Hit me."

Tony smiled as the first slap came down. It was like falling into an old dream, every second so inevitably planned out. Easy, understandable. Comfortable. Loki had already shed his worries at his boy's calm certainty, smacking down hard enough to make Tony's body shake. He moaned in joy and squirmed against the sheets.

"Remain still," Loki commanded. The tone was back.

"Yes my god," Tony sighed.

_I could never have said yes to the __þjá ey if I believed that I could never have my own way with him. Just sometimes._

_I'm still Tony Stark, after all._

**A/N: Although I have stuck to my story plan, things have progressed along a little quicker than I thought so, for those of you who have been so keen... the next two chapters are the one you've been waiting for. I'll try and get them out (and together) in the next few days.**


	35. Chapter 35: Happy Birthday

The birthday of Tony Stark was always an event on any socialites' calendar. This year was no exception. He booked out the entirely of a top floor hotel in the middle of the city and when management complained that the noise was getting too much, he just bought the hotel in its entirety.

He was enjoying himself - why shouldn't he? He hadn't had an opportunity to party like this since Pepper as she disapproved. Of course, there had been that desperate time after Loki disappeared after their return from Asgard. But that had been a slight at the god, to get him back. Now, Tony felt he could actually just have fun. The bar was open and free to all, the hot tubs were full, and the dance floors were heaving with people dancing into the small hours.

Tony walked among them all; this was where the Stark in him lived. He caught sight of Bruce leaving around ten. The man gave him a glance and an apologetic smile before ducking out. But Tony appreciated this wasn't his scene and appreciated he had made the effort at least. Steve had wimped out even earlier. Barton and Natasha were around somewhere, probably up on one of the balconies watching the activity like birds of prey. That left Thor and Jane, wrapped in each other's arms in a corner somewhere.

Amazingly enough, though invited, Fury had elected not to come.

And Bruce's departure was pretty much the last thing Tony remembered from that evening. The party, which had begun in the early evening didn't end until 6am. Even now it was a bit of a strain to recall.

Tony remembered driving back home, but not parking. He remembered blood on the dashboard. The clawing smell of rubber and smoke. He thought he remembered being dragged.

Tony grimaced as light woke him. "Urgh."

He ached all over. Fuck. This felt like a hangover to beat all hangovers. His head was swimming and thumping. And pounding and aching. And just generally painful.

"Urgh," he repeated dismally.

"Certainly one word for this," said a dry, disproving voice.

Tony frowned in the darkness behind his eyelids. "Loki?" he croaked.

"Yes."

"I'd open my eyes, but I think I'm dying." Tony felt the bed shift next to him and knew Loki had sat down. He groaned as the movement made him dizzy. The invasive light dimmed and Tony was sure that Jarvis had put up the blinds.

"Jarvis, can we make sure no one enters the tower?" Loki asked.

"Do what he says, Jarvis," Tony muttered.

"Tony, I would like you to drink this water, take a shower and join me in the main room."

"Loki, I would like you to speak a little quieter, bring me pain killers and fuck off," Tony muttered.

Hangovers. Since when did he get hangovers this bad? What happened to the days when he could drink himself blind until seven in the morning, sleep for twenty minutes, then present the unavailing of a missile that made everything the military had previously owned look like a sling shot?

_Those were the days, my friend._

There was a pain in his back. A pain in his neck. A pain in his chest. He raised his hand to rub his head and winced as he felt a heavy plaster on his temple. "Wh-za fuck?" he complained at the pain.

"Now, boy."

Tony grumbled angrily and fumbled out with half closed eyes for the water. "What, no lemon?" he demanded as Loki departed from the room. It didn't prompt any reply.

It was a good hour and a half before Tony finally felt ready to walk into the living room. He spent a little time examining the plaster. He pulled it off carefully and saw what must have been a large gash under there which stretched over his entire left temple. But it must have healed remarkably quickly. Tony suspected Loki's magic had been at work. If only he could remember how he had got the cut.

Probably from the same place he got the massive bruise across his chest.

Tony was sure he'd remember if he and Loki had played last night, but given the amount of alcohol he had drunk last night, that wasn't certain. _Ah well. I'm sure it was fun._ On the other had, Loki had so far stopped short of cutting his head open, so maybe these weren't... what to call it? Sex injuries.

Loki was sitting on the coach in the main room, staring at nothing. The blinds were down over the large windows and a soft light filled the room. Tony was quietly grateful for the god's foresight.

"Ask your Jarvis not to disturb us."

"Jarvis, you heard Reindeer games."

"Yes sir."

Loki stood and turned. He looked… serious. "Birthdays. Only a Midgardian would celebrate a year closer to their graves."

Tony ambled up to the bar. "No birthdays in Asgard, I take it?"

"What are you doing?"

"Getting a drink," Tony said. He opened the little cupboard. "Or I thought I was." He checked the entire kitchen. Finally, he turned back to Loki with a raised eyebrow. "What? I was bad and now you've taken all my toys?"

"The papers say you're celebrating the thirty-eight year."

"So?"

"It's a lie, isn't it?"

He shrugged. "Everyone lies about their age."

"You've entered your fortieth."

Tony winced. Forty years old. So fucking what? He could cope with it. Look at Capsicale, he was ancient and still kicking. "So what?"

Loki looked enraged. _Uh-oh. __Mood swing._ His whole body was shaking, but when he spoke, his voice still sounded calm and soothing. "I have done a great deal of research into your people. Forty is considered old."

_Old_. Tony felt an equal anger rising in his chest. "Charming. You're no spring chicken yourself."

"Your soul is young, yet your body declines."

Tony laughed incredulously, throwing out his hands. "Am I supposed to stand here in silence while you call me an old man? Get on your fucking bike, asshole."

"And you put your body through this. The alcohol. The Iron Man. You drove your car into a lamppost last night!"

"Did I?"

_Ah._

Tony searched the fractured memories. Screeching tires. Sudden stop. Blood on the dash board.

_Ah_.

Make that a lot of blood on the dash board. Bruise across the chest as the seatbelt snapped him back. Whiplash in his neck and back. Getting dragged from the car across the cold concrete until he was lifted and carried.

_Ah._

_Now I remember._

"Oh yeah. I wasn't going fast though. I think I was going backwards actually."

"You are fortunate I had been following you since the party."

"Well you know what they say; you're never alone with a stalker. Thanks, I owe you. Now where's my Jack Daniels?"

Loki's eyes flashed warningly. "I am going to punish you for your willful disregard for your life. I am going to punish you for your neglect in keeping yourself safe-"

"If you honestly think that I'm going to mellow out as I get older, I have to tell you, you're dating entirely the wrong guy."

Loki continued like there had been no interruption. "And you promised me that you would submit to þjá ey. You didn't tell me how close you where to death! Is this yet another, passive way to get out of being with me, you die from stupidity before you let yourself submit? I am going to make you submit. I am then going to fuck you into unconsciousness. When I have satisfied myself with your body, you will get on your knees and beg me to bind you. Are you listening to me, boy? We are not leaving this tower until you are bound to me eternally!"

Tony stared at the god. He was angrier than Tony had ever seen him before. His eyes were shifting from green to red. Blue seemed to be appearing and disappearing across his skin. It looked like when Bruce was teetering on the edge of Hulking out.

Usually, even when he was cumming, the god was so posed. So calm. He might intend to beat Tony into the ground with a whip, but he told him he would with a gentle voice and a smile. Now he looked like he was completely losing control.

Tony bit back a snort of laughter.

Loki's anger was funny on so many levels. Mainly funny because, on the morning of his…

_Just say it._

Yesterday, on the morning of his _fortieth birthday-_

_Fuck._

Yesterday, when Tony had looked in the mirror that morning; he had been hit in the face with an epiphany - which was just as painful as it sounded.

Loki's anger was funny, because the god didn't understand that the birthday had been… well. Tony didn't want to say the_ last hurrah_, because, whether Loki liked it or not, Tony was going to be hurrahing for as long as he lived.

_Let's just call it the bachelor party._

"Okay then."

Loki deflated. "What?"

Tony smiled nastily. "Oh, surprised? That took the wind straight out your sails, didn't it? Fucking temper tantrum," Tony muttered. "And you have the nerve to call me the child? óðr áss. Yeah, you heard me. I've been studying." Tony turned to the bedroom, stripping off his clothes. "It's Asgardian, not rocket science. And I know my rocket science, you prima donna. So, wasn't a good fucking first on the list?"

Loki had followed, clearly completely unbalanced. "I do not understand."

Tony crawled on the bed, giving Loki the perfect show of his swinging hips. "Do I have to draw you a diagram? We fuck, you make with the magic."

"You have always refused þja ey."

"I was hit in the face with an epiphany."

"Tony-"

"Right in the face," Tony repeated, trying to lay emphasis his unwillingness to explain what had promoted the change of heart. _Just say it you feckless wimp! You're having a midlife crisis._ "Now get on the bed, minn guð," Tony crooned.

Loki cocked his head, a smile tugging on his lips. "You're pronunciation leaves much to be desired."

"Come over here and train my tongue then."

"Did you just call me mad god?"

Tony smiled cheekily - óðr áss. He'd been quite pleased when he had worked that one out. "I also called you _my god,_" he pointed out diplomatically. _Minn guð._ "Now get on the bed."

Loki obeyed silently. He lay on the bed, shimming his clothes away and waited for Tony. Tony jumped to work, dropping his head, capturing the soft cock in his mouth, working it with delight. Loki hissed and squirmed. Tony liked that.

Once he was hard, Tony prepared himself with quick fingers and positioned himself over the mad god's long length. He gripped Loki's shoulders, getting comfortable and felt Loki gently kissing the inside of his wrist Tony found the sigh forming without any conscious thought. He spent a brief moment letting the tip push slightly at the ring but not pushing down. He wanted to draw out the pleasure out a little longer.

"Collar? Leash?"

Loki cocked his head at Tony's eagerness. "What's your game, my naughty little love?"

"Collar. Leash. Now."

Tony felt the leather appearing on his neck and picked up the leash, putting it in Loki's hand. He pushed down on the cock, sighing as it broke past that first tight ring of muscle. He hummed in pleasure as he sunk all the way down. Opening his eyes dreamily, he stared into Loki's. "I'm yours, Loki. And because I'm obeying, like the little boy you want me to me, I think that I should get a reward."

"Whatever you want, my love."

"How kind," Tony crooned a little sarcastically, rolling his hips against the god. Loki sighed as his eyes fluttered shut. "I want to cum first."

"Yes, my love."

"Inside you."

Loki gazed at Tony, his face completely blank. _Poker face. _

Tony leaned away slightly, and the leash stretched until he was caught and held. "See? Still yours. Not in control. But I want to be in you, Loki."

Loki was still silent. Tony rolled his hips and watched the flicker in the green eyes and the slight parting of Loki's lips. Tony leant in and ran his tongue across them.

_You want me to bind? You show me I'm not just your toy._

He pulled himself off and moved back. Tony moved slowly, carefully, at every moment expecting Loki to call halt. Loki didn't. The god spread his legs so Tony could shift between them. As the boy got there, he felt the pull on the leash as he reached the limit. His upper body had to move forward to close the distance as his legs got into the right position.

Then he was there, ready. He looked up at Loki. The god cocked a head on one side and slowly let a slight length of leash slip through his fingers, giving Tony more room to move.

Tony sat up and poured out the KY Jelly onto his fingers. The god's boy licked his lips, keen to start but curiously nervous. He pushed one finger into Loki. It was warm and tight. His body thrilled at the feeling. He heard the sigh above him and smiled. Tony worked his finger in and out slowly, cautiously.

"You will not hurt me, Tony. You may use more force, more fingers," Loki said softly.

Tony looked up, cocky and serious. "Maybe I just want to spend some time teasing. Did you consider that?"

Loki paused and nodded.

"Then shut up and let me play."

Loki sighed and shook his head. "Whatever you wish, my love."

"Pull your legs back more."

Loki's knees came up, parting. Kneeling between those long pale legs, his fingers stroking in and out was perhaps one of the most exciting things Tony had ever done. He moved in closer, licking his lips and adding another finger. This was glorious and he strung it out as long as he could. Fuck knows when he'll be able to guilt Loki into letting him do this again.

_And if this is it, if this is the day I let myself get… married… I will not let it happen unless I've had one moment of control in his relationship._

Loki's cock was hard, pressing up flat against his stomach. Occasionally Tony would lean in and lick the scrotum; it was just too tempting a target to ignore.

The god was writhing now, gasping out and moaning. "Tony," he whispered.

"Patience," Tony chided.

He looked down. He had all four fingers in now. Hot, slippery velvet enclosed the fingers and Loki was able to take it fast and deep. Tony wondered if he had done this before. "How long do you think I could suck your cock for before you came?"

Gods had stamina, right? Isn't that what the bastard was always telling him?

"I thought you wanted to penetrate me," Loki said, sounding a tad annoyed.

"Now, does that sound like an answer to what I asked?"

"I can hold out."

"Good," Tony said. "I want to taste you for a while."

For a while turned out for be a long while. Tony was in paradise knowing that he wouldn't be stopped by Loki's demands or his release. Tony never denied that performing this act upon his partner did all sorts of wonderful things to his own body. It was exiting, it was glorious.

It was... contrary to what you expect, it made Tony powerful. He had the control here, he could determine what pleasure Loki felt and how. And Loki's growing moans and mewls of beautiful distress were amazing.

"Boy, stop," Loki choked suddenly. There was a tug on the leash. "I do not wish to come. Not until you are inside of me."

Tony pulled back; slightly disappointed that he could not have lay there between the legs forever.

Though, in retrospect, his jaw was aching now. He hadn't released it while he had the shaft in his mouth. Tony smiled broadly. "How long was that?"

"Forgive me, my love. I lost count after ten minutes."

"You'll have to do better next time," Tony scolded with a smirk.

"Shut up and get in me," Loki hissed.

Tony moved to the entrance and found himself stopping. It was… intimidating. He felt like any second Loki was going to stop him and knock his jaw off. Tony looked up, slightly alarmed when he heard the chuckle.

"Do you need permission, sweet boy?" Loki asked. The lost, derailed look was gone. The Loki of Tony's nightmares and every wet dream was back. The god raised a finger and crooked it playfully. "Come on, boy," he purred. "Never in your wildest dreams could you imagine the pleasure of penetrating a god. Don't waste this opportunity."

Tony nodded unconsciously and pushed in without further preamble.

"Oh my god," he gasped, his hands digging into Loki's hips as the tight grip seemed to milk him.

It had been months since he had been the penetrator. And decades since it had been a man. This was so much tighter than a woman. His eyes almost crossed as he pushed in. Finally, his balls pressed up against Loki's ass. He stopped, panting, his head rolling back and down as the glorious tightness encompassed him.

He felt the slight pull on the leash. It was almost as if Loki were holding him down to earth. Without it, he could easily float away into space.

"Good?" Loki asked gently.

Tony nodded hard, unable to speak.

"Would you like me to take over now, my boy?"

Tony nodded again.

He felt Loki pulling his legs up and around Tony's hips in the same moment he was sitting up and push him down. Almost like a wrestling move. It was too practiced a movement - there was no way he hasn't done this before, Tony remembered thinking. Tony was still inside his god, his cock gripped like a vice by the heavenly muscles, but now Loki was sitting on top of him, petting Tony's face domineeringly.

_So you're the submissive again._

_Well, yeah... but I've made my point._

Tony squirmed for a long while, trying to make sense of the overwhelming sensations. Loki waited until Tony was finally still, panting and crooning and wondering if he had ever felt anything more tight or more warm in his entire life.

"Is there anything more you need, pet?"

Tony put his hands together, over his head. He didn't have to say anything. Leather bindings pulled his wrists together and tightened.

"Gag?"

Tony shook his head hard. "Kiss me."

Loki captured his mouth. Tongues fought for dominance as they slid over each other wildly. Tony yelled into Loki's mouth as the god's hips finally moved. He ground up and down on Tony's cock and Tony arched and bucked.

"Fast or slow?"

"Slow, at first," Tony choked.

Loki complied. He moved slowly and Tony arched his head back, focusing on the sensation as he slid in and out of the warm, tight passage. Every nerve in his body was connected to his cock. He could feel the power in Loki's muscles, gripping him tight. It was almost painful and that was all the better for Tony. Pain made this overwhelming and Tony, despite his moment of control to provoke the situation, still wanted to be the one being schooled, the one hopelessly out of his depth.

It was exciting.

_More._

"Fast, hard," Tony commanded as it became too much to hold out.

Loki rode him hard. The bed was shaking alarmingly. Tony could hear bed springs. The movement was shattering his world around him. He pulled hard on the restraints, needing to know that they were there. Loki, so completely aware of his lover's wants and needs, pulled up sharply with the leash. Tony, his eyes closed, felt Loki's domination over him through that action and he groaned in guttural pleasure.

"I'm… I'm going… I'm going to-" Tony bleated, squirming and writhing.

"My boy. Please cum, cum inside me."

Tony screamed out Loki's name as he came. Loki slowed his movements, pulling every last drop from Tony as he could. He watched the mortal with tender eyes as he passed out.

Tony awoke in Loki's arms not long later. It took a while to get his bearings, but one thing was very apparent and pressing hard against his thigh.

"You're still hard," Tony muttered.

"You were asleep. I did not want to waste it."

"I was unconscious " Tony clarified, a little bitterly. It really wasn't doing much for his ego to be so thoroughly worked over by his god that he just slipped out of conscious ever orgasm. It made him... helpless in Loki's arms. As annoyed as he was, Tony smiled gently.

He returned back to the here and now Loki's lips glided over his neck. Tony shifted slightly. "Do you want me to-"

"What do you want to do with it, Tony?"

Tony considered. "In me."

"Are you sure?"

"In me."

"Shh, relax. I have needed this for some time now. It will not be long."

Tony relaxed in Loki's arms as the god pushed into him. Loki was right. There was a very short time thrusting into him, making Tony's body shake with the force and soon Loki was gasping out, closing his teeth over Tony's shoulder and biting as he came.

When he finished, he sighed out, kissed Tony on the cheek and pulled the covers up to surround them. "Sleep for a while."

"Stay with me."

"Until your dreams take you. But then I must leave. I have preparations to make."

"þjá ey?"

"Yes."

"Okay."

"Tony?"

"Yes?"

"Happy Birthday."


	36. Chapter 36: þjá ey

Tony lay in bed for a long time after he'd woken up. He stared at the ceiling. So this was it, then. D-Day. He was going to do some god knows voodoo ceremony with Loki, jumping head first into an ancient magic - which he didn't even believe in - tying himself to another for all eternity all for the sake of not losing a man he needed. A man who happened to be an insane, ancient Nordic god of chaos he was supposed to be enemies with.

This was such a bad idea Tony couldn't even believe he was considering it. Even he, the King of Awful Decisions, even he, couldn't be so stupid.

But...

They were... amazing together. It seemed like such a teenage thing to say, but it was true. Tony had never felt like this. Never lived like this. Tony felt better now than he had ever done in his life.

Tony took a while in the bathroom; brushing his teeth, a long shower, washing his face. He pulled back the fringe from his eyes, noting the strands of grey he generally worked hard to cover up.

He walked to the wardrobe and pulled out his best suit. Later he would wonder why. Maybe at this moment where he was being the most un-Stark he had ever been, he at least had to cling to the look. He snapped on cuff links and fixed his collar.

_Right. Well. No more stalling._

The billionaire playboy pushed open the door. He didn't know what he was expecting, but whatever he was he was disappointed. Loki was sitting, sprawled out lazily on a sofa, reading a book. Otherwise, nothing seemed out of place.

Loki glanced up, his eyes running over Tony sceptically. "Going somewhere?"

"Just because you have no sense of style, no need to poke at mine."

"I prefer you in less."

"You prefer me naked."

"Yes."

Tony smiled and walked to the bar. "If you wouldn't mind returning the booze you pinched, I'd appreciate it. I'm in the mood to get drunk."

"I need you sober for this."

Tony's eyes closed momentarily. "For what? Oh, right - so we're still doing that?"

_Smooth, perhaps he won't realize you haven't been thinking of anything else._

"I need you sober, so you can't say later I got you drunk and forced you into this."

Tony snapped the little metal tab back on a can. "Diet Coke?"

"I want you to ask me. I want you to beg."

"_Diet _Coke, mind you. Not because I'm concerned about my figure or anything. It just tastes better."

"Tony..." Loki sighed.

"You want a Coke?"

Loki shook his head, tired in the way that parents of five year old are tired. "No, I don't want a Coke, diet or otherwise. I want you. Now."

"I'm pretty worn through at the moment."

"I've heard that before."

"Hey!" Tony objected.

"You're backing out? Again?"

"I didn't say that."

Loki eyes narrowed slightly. "Then what are you saying, Tony?"

"Are we doing this or not? I'm getting sick of dancing round the fucking thing."

"There's no need to be scared of this, Tony. It is a beautiful moment."

Tony glared. "You've done this before?"

"Not I, but I have seen it performed between an old god from Asgard and a lovely little nymph from one of the nine realms.

"What happened?"

"They lived together in Asgard for many hundreds of years."

Tony knew there must be more. "And then?"

Loki shrugged. "He died in battle. Against the Ice Giants. As is the way of things, she withered away and died."

Tony really, really wanted a drink. "Well that sounds fun." He turned back to the bar and then away again as he remembered that it was empty. "And if I die, you just find another squeeze." He walked past Loki, not looking at him, heading for the TV cabinet.

"You think me that contrary?"

Tony pulled open the cupboard. "Where's my emergency vodka?"

"With the rest of it. Answer my question."

"I think you've lived for a thousand of years and you're going to be alive for thousands more."

"With you."

"And if I die?"

Loki smiled and it was that old, dangerous, maniacal smile Tony had come to know, love and fear all at once. "I won't allow it."

Tony rolled his shoulders uncomfortably. "Are we doing this or not?"

"Not until you ask me. Not until you beg."

"Get on with it."

"No."

Tony knew what he was doing. In a way, he understood. Loki needed Tony not to have a leg to stand on later when accusations like, 'but you made me' started getting thrown around. Tony squirmed inside. After his… after he had snapped, said those terrible things to Loki, even Tony couldn't be sure it would never happen again.

Tony had a safe word. Loki needed this.

He closed his eyes briefly and remembered the _Mine_ carved into his thigh. It had scarred over like the _My Boy_. The _My Boy_ made Tony hard when he touched it. The _Mine_ made him shudder in remembered domination. He used it as a remembrance, as a warning to himself that any hatred on his part towards Loki would be met with painful, controlling, devastating love.

It was screwed up, messed up and perhaps the greatest thing to ever happen to him.

"You want me to beg?" Tony asked bitterly. "I don't beg for anything."

_Ha! When haven't you with him?_

"I understand," Loki said soothingly. "And I'm sorry. But you must."

Tony sat down heavily on the sofa. He pulled open the collar of his shirt, letting his tie hang down and unbuttoning the top few buttons. Blue light gently shimmered under his shirt. "I've had women throwing themselves at my feet, you know."

"That must have been fun," Loki said blandly.

"Begging to have my kids." Tony drank his Coke, trying to convince himself it was scotch. Bubbly scotch, admittedly. "I was named Most Eligible Bachelor in Time Magazine nine times."

"What are you trying to say, Tony?"

"You're lucky to have me," Tony said, his eyes fixed on Loki.

Loki tilted his head, a vague smile playing on his lips. "Yes. Which is why you're going to be my Thrall. I'm not letting you go anywhere now I have you. All this I have made so abundantly clear. I want you, Tony Stark, now and forever. Now, it's your turn." Loki's eyes flashed and his smile broadened. "Go on, my love. It's not so painful."

Tony looked at the floor. "I want to be yours, Loki."

"Tell me."

Tony looked up with a glare, gave in and said, "I want to be bound to you; I want to be your Thrall."

"Yes?"

"Please. Please, Loki. You've promised already never to leave so let's just do this and move on. So we can end this argument and start having some new ones."

"More."

"Nine times most Most Eligible Bachelor."

"Tony."

"I hate you," Tony muttered. "Please, Loki, I'm begging you. Make me yours. I've never been so happy and I've never been so calm. It's because of you."

Loki stood, turning away. For a minute, Tony believed he was leaving, finally getting what he wanted. Loki had started all this wanting to destroy Tony. This would be the moment to leave. A thoroughly humiliated and beaten Tony, begging to be bound. Begging, in effect to be married.

Instead Loki walked to their duffel bag. He pulled out a long black ribbon like strip of cloth.

Tony stared at Loki as he looked at it in almost adoration. _What an anti-climax._

Tony raised an eyebrow. "That's it?"

"Yes."

Tony smirked, affecting shock. "But it's not gold. I thought all Asgardian shit was gold."

Loki ignored him. "Usually there would be a public ceremony in front of the people of Asgard. Odin would use his magic and there would be a sacrifice. You'll forgive me if I'd rather we did this privately and without the blessing of the All Father."

"And hopefully without you getting blood on the floor," Tony said warning. "What sort of sacrifice?"

"The Asgardian would present a kill to his Thrall. Historically and symbolically, it was meant as proof that the Thrall would be supported by his or her Asgardian and would not starve."

"Well, we can order a pizza if you want."

"Please try to take this seriously, Tony."

"If you want serious, then can I suggest that I'm not your first choice for this?"

Desperate to belong to Loki, yet doing everything he could to warn him off. What was wrong with him?

"Come here."

"This is going to be magic, isn't it? I don't believe in this crap."

"Come here."

"Can't we just elope to Vegas? They do Elvis weddings."

"Come here."

Tony moved towards Loki carefully. Probably Loki was going to wave his hands around and do some magic mumbling and then they could just move on with this stupid argument. Just like most married couples; for one of them, the wedding was an important, moving event and for the other had done it mostly just to make their partner happy. It didn't mean anything in the long run.

"Don't worry, Tony."

"I'm not. It's a load of bullshit, that's all I'm saying." Tony moved so he was right in front of Loki, glancing up at the face which ruled his life, his dreams and his nightmares and looking away quickly. "Fucking waste of time."

"Give me your hand."

Tony hesitated and complied.

"Don't be scared, Tony."

"I'm not."

"Relax."

"I am," Tony snapped through gritted teeth.

"It will only hurt momentarily."

"What?" Tony asked in alarm. Loki's smile broke out over his narrow face, sly and cruel. Tony snorted. "Fucking asshole," he muttered with a rising smile.

Loki grasped Tony's hand and wrapped the ribbon around both of them. It was a fairly complicated knot to tie when you were only doing it with one hand, but Loki managed somehow.

"We don't have to spend long like this, do we?" Tony asked. "Because, I gotta tell you, it looks weird."

"Hush, child."

"And I can't see myself going to training on the Helicarrier like this. Might get a bit awkward."

"This is a moment I've pictured every day for over a year," said Loki gently, but seriously. "Please try not to be so contemptuous about it."

Maybe it was the tone Loki used. It wasn't threatening, it wasn't promising punishment. It was just a serious, sad plea for Tony just to act like an adult for once in his life. Tony had heard it a thousand times before from hundreds of people.

"Sorry," he muttered. He looked up as a warm hand stroked his face.

"I am going to spend the rest of time making you submit to me through pain, lust and pure control. But for this moment, right now, I want you to want it."

_Because it won't work if you don't._ The unsaid words hung in the air. Tony swallowed and nodded.

Loki raised his free hand over their tied ones and began muttering something Asgardian. Despite Tony's every desire to let Loki have his moment, he couldn't help but be Tony. This was all so stupid and pointless.

He gasped in alarm as the ribbon began to move and tighten like a black snake. Instinctively, he tried to pull his hand away. Loki yelped and grasped his hand harder. Tony noticed a burn appearing on Loki's hand.

The god had stopped chanting and was now looking daggers at Tony. When he spoke however, it was still in the same, soothing tones. "Do not pull away, Tony. The magic senses that I am forcing you and will not allow the ritual to happen."

"You're burnt!"

"It will continue to burn while you struggle from me," Loki said gently, his eyes hard. Tony could tell he was in pain.

He relaxed, letting his arm go limp. Loki breathed out hard and flexed his bound hand carefully, wincing in pain. He pulled the ribbon back slightly with a wince. There was a deep, red and black burn sunk into his skin. Blood was weeping, it looked agonising. Tony could feel the shudder of Loki's hand beneath his as he fought back the pain.

"Magic has a price," he explained gently. "Magic is a little bit alive. I walk amongst it, I channel it through me and use it at will, but I do not own it. I cannot make myself master over it." Loki's gaze fixed on Tony. "All my life I have learnt how to tame and control a force of wondrous beauty, knowing full well that I would never truly own it. Knowing that one day, it could kill me. And you wonder how it is I rule you so completely, Tony, when I have been in training for keeping you since before you existed. Trust me. I am what you need. I know you, all of you, in a way that no one else does. And because of that, I respect you in a way no one else does. I will always give you what you _need_, in spite of what you _want_."

Tony swallowed painfully.

"I need you to give in," Loki growled.

"I won't ever give in," Tony hissed back.

"Tony," Loki said warningly. He rolled his shoulders, composing himself. "Now, may I continue?"

Tony glared, but nodded. Loki returned to the ceremony, his free hand hovering over their joined ones, muttering words alien to Tony. It sounded Asgardian, but not quite. Almost like Asgardian but with a different accent? Tony couldn't tell. Sounded fucking sexy though. The ribbon moved with a life of its own again and began growing more complicated and complex. It crept up his hand until it was forming a sort of bracelet around his wrist.

All of a sudden, it began to turn to gold, shimmering and glowing.

"Fucking knew it. It's always gold with you people," Tony muttered.

Overwhelming exhaustion began to make him wobbly. His eyes blurred and his body swayed alarmingly. The last thing he remembered was that Loki's hand left his. Hazy eyes opened to see that they were still attached by ribbon, a long gold thread between them. It glowed white and melted into their skin.

Tony fell backward.

He was on a large gold, four poster bed. Like the one in Loki's quarters in Asgard. But this one had white chains holding him spread eagle. He was naked, which wasn't a huge surprise, but felt gentle warmth around him, like there was a fireplace in the room. But he couldn't see anything but black around the bed.

What he probably should have been more worried about was the very large black panther curled up at his feet. Tony could hear it purring but knew better than to wake it. When it finally woke, it crept up, its graceful form swaying as it moved, betraying the power in its body, until it was standing on his chest. Tony realised then he didn't seem to have his arc reactor, but again, that was one of those little details that didn't bother him anymore.

The black panther stared at him with green, starry eyes and leant down to lick his face over and over again. Tony tried to strain away but the white chains held him in place. He sighed in mild annoyance and just relaxed, letting the panther lick.

"Tony."

His eyes fluttered open. "There's a cat on me," he muttered thickly.

There was a pause. Then a voice said, seemingly straining not to laugh, "None that I can see, my love."

Tony jerked awake, pulling himself back together. "What?" He rubbed his face, turning around on the bed in Stark Tower. Loki was lying next to him, his chest shaking with silent laughter. "What happened?" Tony asked groggily.

"What cat?"

"Fuck the cat."

"It that a common Midgardian practice?" Loki asked, his white teeth sparkling.

Tony threw him an angry look. "Well you're in a jolly good mood," Tony spat. He rubbed his face again. "I feel like I've got a hangover. Again. What time is it?"

"Six in the morning."

"What?"

"Six in the morning on Saturday." Loki clarified.

Tony paused. "I've been asleep for a day and a half?"

"It was to be expected," Loki said soothingly, stroking Tony's hair possessively. "The binding is a strenuous process for the mortal partner. Some do not even survive it."

Tony knocked the hand away angrily. "At what point were you going to mention that?"

"Now, obviously. If you had died, it would not have been necessary to explain."

"You sorry son of a bitch." Tony swung his legs out of the bed and walked unsteadily to the bathroom. "You know what? Between this and the crossing to Asgard you… the pair of you, you and Thor! You fucking Odin brothers… Urgh! Fuckers! I'm going to take a piss, have a shower and find food. Then I'm going to punch you in the head!"

"Hurry back," Loki said placidly as Tony shut the door on him.

Tony rested his back against the door, taking a moment to gather himself. He jumped out of his skin when he heard Loki's voice through the door. "And when you're finished, you must let me take your beautiful body."

"Oh, _must_ I?"

"You did not think that the only purpose of þjá ey was immortality? Tony, wait until you feel what it's like now when I take you. What it's like when two bodies who share a bound soul writhe as one. We will be inside of each other like you have never experienced."

Suddenly, the urge to kill the monster wasn't as important as getting fucked by him.

"Okay," Tony breathed, feeling a little helpless.

Tony was more keen than he was willing to believe. He felt... like he was coming out of a hangover. But nothing felt different. It all seemed pretty normal. It was not the fireworks and life changing phenomena he was expecting.

When Tony left the bedroom some time later, it was to find a pile of food on the table. Loki, with seemingly no idea what Tony would want, had clearly just told Jarvis to order everything Tony generally ordered from takeaways. Chinese, Italian, Thai; it was all just heaped up on the table.

Tony shrugged. Wasn't the first time he had eaten this stuff at seven in the morning. First time it was hot though. He was just surprised these places were open so early. But for a customer like Tony Stark, they would never have turned down the order.

Tony shovelled crispy pork belly, jasmine rice and hoisin sauce into his mouth.

Loki glanced over from the sofa where he seemed engrossed in yet another book. Is that all the man did? Plot to take over the world, read and drive Tony's body into any surface he could find?

"Attractive," Loki muttered in mild disdain.

Tony flipped him off angrily. "I've been asleep for a day and a half no thanks to you."

"It was certainly the most peaceful time I have spent with you."

Tony rolled his eyes, starting on a Pepperoni pizza. "Where's the booze?"

"No booze."

Tony paused, thinking ahead. "Can we – I mean, whatever, but we should go to that room."

"The one with no escape," Loki said blandly.

Tony glared. He was as good as saying _Loki please lock me away somewhere I can never leave._ "We can stay here if you want, dear," Tony said in a henpecked tone.

"No. I think we should go home."

"Whatever you want, dear," Tony mocked, saving whatever was left of his pride. Tony finished his food quickly, finishing off a couple of bottles of water. "Let's go," he said, far too keenly.

Loki smiled and closed the book. "Of course, but you don't _want_ to go, do you? After all, you're just the unfortunate victim in all this."

"Obviously," Tony said. "Now come on."

"Clothes off. You're not bringing them."

"Serious-"

"I have never been more so."

Tony rolled his eyes and stripped quickly. "I don't know why I bother to dress," Tony muttered darkly.

"Indeed, _I_ don't know why you bother to dress either," Loki agreed playfully.

Loki walked over and pulled Tony into his arms. Tony gritted his teeth against the blackness, the feeling of being turned inside out. He'd never get used to it. Though at least it wasn't a crossing.

When he opened them again, he moved past Loki and practically threw himself on the bed. He heard Loki's chuckle behind him but ignored it. He turned back to face him, waiting patiently on his knees.

Loki shimmered and said, "A little something for you, love. For doing so well in the ritual." His usual heavy clothes transforming themselves into black jeans and a green dress shirt, almost identical to Tony's private fantasies.

_Fuck, how had he known?_ Tony bit back a croon. His god was so beautiful.

Loki opened the fly of his jeans and Tony was crawling forward to suck Loki's offering. Loki sighed, his head falling back and one hand resting on Tony's head. Tony shuddered for a long moment after the first heartfelt suck. _Fucking fuck. _

Loki had been so right. This felt better than it had ever done. His body was buzzing with excitement as every pleasure centre in his mind lit up like a Christmas tree.

Tony spent a long time just experimenting, sucking and licking and bobbing back and forth and feeling this inner sense of completion. He pulled off and that sense disappeared, leaving a cold hollowness inside of him. He pushed back and suddenly he was full beyond his imaginings.

Tony didn't last long. As much as he enjoyed performing, this fullness was so wonderful, he needed to know. He pulled away again. "Loki, please. Just for once, no games, just fuck me."

Loki smoothed Tony's hair away from his eyes and lifted a bottle of lubricant from his pocket; he took a handful himself, stroking his cock and put the rest into Tony's hand. Tony lay back, quickly and shamelessly preparing himself with quick and fumbling fingers.

As Loki stripped and joined him on the bed, Tony wrapped his legs around Loki's waist. "You're an eager little boy, aren't you," Loki breathed in delight as he guided his way to Tony's opening.

"I need this!" Tony sighed.

"I know," Loki crooned. "I know."

He pushed in and for a second both he and Tony lost themselves completely in the feeling. Tony would never forget it. A hole in his chest that he never knew was there was finally filled. He felt like his eyes were open, he was staring into a new world of colour. He could feel every texture against his skin. He could suddenly taste Loki again in his mouth. Everything was pure and heightened. Tony lay still under Loki, almost too afraid to move.

Loki, who seemed to have been equally stunned, gathered himself back together first and pushed in a little deeper. Tony thought he was going to explode with the fullness. Loki's head dropped onto Tony's shoulder as the god panted for a long while. "I n-n," Loki stuttered. He shifted and Tony groaned loudly and Loki shuddered with a desperate gasp. "I never real-ised- Oh Yggdrasil! Oh Tony, oh yes!"

Tony couldn't say anything, do anything. He felt that if he even blinked this would all shatter.

Loki was muttering Asgardian and panting over him, wonder and ecstasy in his eyes. Open and honest, Loki was losing himself in the moment in a way he had never done with Tony before. Loki blinked hard and shook his head. Shuddering, he pulled out completely.

Tony almost sobbed as the cold rushed in to fill the hollow in his... his... damn. Loki was right. It was a soul. "In, please!" he cried.

Loki began a slow thrusting. It wasn't even about the sex. Cumming was the last thing on either of their minds. They were almost too intimidated by the idea. If this is what if felt just being so close? It was about being connected in a world of sensation. Tony hand reached up and pulled Loki down onto his chest as the god's hips moved lazily.

"I never thought that I could ever feel like this," Tony whispered.

Loki nodded silently.

"I love you so much," Tony said, feeling as though he were holding a gun against his head. It was without a doubt the scariest thing he had ever done. He waited, feeling like he was teetering over the edge of a cliff.

Loki raised his head and kissed him. "I love you too, Tony."

Tony blinked hard. _Fuck no, don't you dare Tony. Pull yourself together! _"Good," he said, forcing a swaggering tone. "Now be a dear and fuck me into the bed."

Loki smiled and obliged.

Better than drugs, better than booze, better than fast cars or saving the world. Tony closed his eyes, clinging onto Loki's panting body and couldn't stop the smile.


	37. Chapter 37: Thoughtless Moment

Tony looked up over his drink. "Stop what?"

"Smiling. It's getting annoying." Natasha raised an eyebrow. "You've had that fixed grin on your face all day."

"I noticed that too," Steve said.

"Did you GI Joe? How smart," Tony said. "And I've been wearing my mask all day, so I dispute your facts. Now pass me the soy sauce."

A meal after a fight, like after the Chitauri attack in New York. It happened every now and again, usually after a win and so long as there were no injuries. Nowadays, it tended to happen after the more boring fights. If boring was a word you could really use.

It was the Wednesday after the weekend of his birthday and the first time he was in the company of his Avenger friends since the… marriage. No one had spotted it, despite the fact he felt like it must be printed all over his face.

This meal was coming at the tail end of a pretty boring fight. It had been more of a political stunt than anything else. With Doom quiet, no doubt crafting all new ways of messing with them, the Avengers had been sent to a hideout in Prague where the beginnings of a new terrorist group had been forming. They had taken down them down, found the laughable lab where they had been creating, or trying to create, dirty bombs and had handed them off to officials to be sentenced.

Sending in the Avengers for something so trivial had seemed like overkill, though it at least sent the message that terrorist groups now had to potentially face the Hulk. That must give any budding terrorist pause for thought.

For Barton and Natasha, it had been your everyday mission. Steve was just happy to serve his country like a good little soldier. Tony wasn't sure what Thor and Bruce felt about it, but personally, it left Tony feeling used.

_And not in the good way._

The Avengers weren't supposed to be another branch of government.

_Loki's right. Natasha's right. You really don't have any grasp of politics. _

So, it was Sushi today. They picked at the plates sailing past on the large conveyer belt winding round the restaurant, eating, laughing and talking about anything that didn't involve explosions, death or villainy in general.

Thor had not been keen at first, these little parcels of fish not appealing to his typical outlook on food. However, he delighted in the conveyer belt, his large, blue keen eyes following the colourful plates passing him, grabbing whatever took his fancy and creating a mountain of bowls. Needless to say, he had completely ignored the chopsticks.

Tony sat on the other side of the table, picking at the Tekka and finishing his hot Sake. He was just losing himself in a mental fantasy of sex in an airplane bathroom with a tall, slender white god when Natasha and Steve decided to jump him.

Natasha fixed him with her usual lie detecting stare. "You spent the weekend with Lockley?"

"Don't you people have your own personal lives to think about?"

"Was she in the car too?" Natasha asked.

"What car?"

"The one you bent round a lamppost," Steve chipped in.

"Backwards. How d'you manage that?" Barton asked, moderately impressed seemingly in spite of himself.

Tony sighed, but he had already thought about this one beforehand. "I wasn't in the car."

"Then who was driving it, Tony?"

Tony shrugged and spread his arms. "I saw the damage when they hauled it back. You really expect me to be sitting here after that?"

"You were so drunk that night you probably don't even remember."

"I'd remember getting my head split open, right?" Tony asked. "The car was totalled."

"Where is it now?"

"Coca Cola cans, probably. I had it broken up for parts. And I wasn't as drunk as all that. I walked back home and yes, Lockley and I spent the weekend… doing stuff. What crime have I committed this time?"

"Don't you want to find out who stole your car?" Natasha asked.

"Seems weird that you don't," Steve added.

Tony raised a finger, waving it at the pair of them, "Now, see, she's got all the ideas. And all you're doing is piling on."

"You were in a car crash?" Bruce asked.

"Are we doing a round robin here? Haven't we already established I wasn't?"

"Were you injured?"

"I wasn't in the car, Bruce."

_If you sit here any longer, you're going to trip yourself up._

"Okay," Tony said, standing. "I'm going home. But it was fun, let's save the world again sometime. Meal's on me. Unless anyone else wants to pick up Thor's tab; he's yet to figure out the exchange rates for his gelds."

Tony was already walking away when he heard it. His heart sank.

"Gelds?"

"What?" Tony turned, grimacing internally.

Barton was frowning. "What's a geld?"

"Coins," Thor said. "It's Asgardian currency."

Tony shrugged uncomfortably. "Wow, I must have spent too much time in Asgard."

"And you learnt the language?" Natasha said disbelieving.

Tony threw on his best superior air. "I speak four languages. How about you?"

"Ten."

"No one likes a show off," Tony said. "And I know that from experience. Are there even ten languages in the world?"

"I am finished also," Thor announced standing and pushing past Barton and Steve. "And I wish to speak with you, my friend."

"Fine," Tony said, walking out of the restaurant with the man. Once they were outside, Tony decided the only way to play this was to be Stark. "You got something for me? Only I'm late for my playboy lifestyle."

"There is something different about you, Tony. I simply cannot say what."

"Ah-huh. Is that all?"

"No," Thor said with a smile. "That is not what I wanted to speak to you about. I was merely saying… it doesn't matter. I am happy that you're happy, Tony."

_Would you be if you knew?_

"What I wanted to say was; I was in Asgard until today."

"Jumping back and forth can't be good for you," Tony, acting disinterested, dialling his phone and raising it to his ear.

"The Queen requested that I extend an invitation to you to return to Asgard in the future."

"Thought I couldn't go back without dying?"

"Indeed," Thor said with a sigh. "It is true. But I could not ignore her request. Though it seems odd-"

"Hogan, it's me. Bring the car around would you? Thanks. Go on, Thor, I'm listening."

"I was saying, it seems odd-"

"You passed on the message. Thanks. Tell your mum it's a kind offer, but I don't see it happening anytime soon. Or not in a million years. Or ever. Anyway, this is my ride."

_Well, that was unbearable. _

Tony left the hero standing on the sidewalk as he pulled away. Loki had assured him that Thor wouldn't know. Or at least, he wouldn't know for sure. But he may…

The way Loki described it, it sounded like a sixth sense. Like when you got a bunch of women together. When one's pregnant, the others would, most of the time, just _know_. But when asked to explain, they would inevitably resort to the stock phrases like 'she's just glowing'. It was something you picked up on, especially if you had been through it before. But you would never really be able to explain _why_.

Thor may have a feeling about it, but, probably because he hadn't been through it, he wouldn't be able to know, know. Not like other Asgardians might.

And the Queen was suddenly keen to have him back. Did she know, know? She might _know_ that Loki had always been heading in that direction, but she was in an entirely different realm right now. She couldn't _know, know_, right?

_This is all getting a bit childish, don't you think?_

_Isn't it time to just come clean?_

Tony thought about telling Thor in all seriousness.

_No._

_Or maybe if I could be certain the hammer was locked away somewhere._

As Tony walked into the entrance hall of the tower, he wasn't at all surprised to find Loki there. "Tony, Tony, Tony," breathed the silky voice.

Tony groaned. "What the fuck did I do this time?" he demanded.

Loki pressed into Tony's body, his arms coming around the playboy's chest. "Shh," the god breathed into his ear.

Tony rolled his eyes and relaxed back into the embrace. Fuck knows what's prompted this mood, but Tony was going to enjoy it while he could. A warm wet tongue ran over his ear.

"Thor noticed," Tony said, trying to sound casual about it.

"I'm assuming from the fact that I am uninjured, he did not manage to identify the change."

"You really think he'll go crazy?"

Loki chuckled. "Why else would I make you my thrall?"

_If I'm guilty of being so Tony Stark, then he's guilty of being so Trickster._

Tony tried to push Loki off, just that little bit angry. "I fucking knew it."

"Calm yourself, my love. I only tease," Loki said, the chiding tones sounding so mocking with that smile he wore.

Tony struggled until he finally gave up, the iron grip impossible to budge. "I honestly hate you sometimes."

Loki laughed softly. Tony shuddered in pleasure as the tongue ran over his neck. "And I'm really not fond of the licking, you know," Tony lied in a grumble.

Loki's body pushed against him in close, rubbing movements. Tony pushed back equally, giving Loki better access to his neck.

Tony was still high and, truth be told, a little terrified by the after effects of the binding. It wasn't a feeling easily described. It wasn't the classic heart-throb crap, being in pain when he's not around blah blah blah. Tony could function fine without him. And yes, he thought about him all the time. But he was doing that before the voodoo too.

In all honesty, Tony felt no different from before.

Despite all his fears and anxieties, he was still Tony.

When the effects were truly noticeable was when Loki was around. It wasn't until Loki was back in the room did Tony suddenly feel a weight he hadn't known was there being lifted. Suddenly feeling warm when he didn't remember being cold. Suddenly finding the world was bright when he didn't remember it being dark.

When Loki was gone, Tony was just getting by.

When he was here, Tony lived.

As Loki's hand ran down to cup him through his trousers, Tony tried to push the hand away and there was a brief struggle as Loki, through pure strength, forced Tony's hands away. Loki grasped him tightly.

Tony hissed as the grip pressed and stroked his groin through the jean fabric. It was uncomfortable and glorious.

"Stop it," Tony spat.

"No."

Tony's eyes fluttered as the other hand rubbed his chest, catching his nipple and causing the little nub to stiffen. Loki wretched the t-shirt out of his jeans and forced his hand up so cool fingers could pluck and twist.

Tony felt his breathing getting more and more laboured as his hips rocked unconsciously, slowly fucking the hand which squeezed him.

"Stop it," he repeated in a weaker voice.

"No," Loki whispered as he unzipped Tony's fly.

Tony shuddered as Loki's hand, a little cold against such heated skin wrapped thumb and forefinger around the thick base of his cock. Tony felt the groan rise unbidden in his throat. Loki wasn't stroking or pulling, just holding. Standing here, holding Tony still far more effectively than he could with any leash. It made Tony feel weak.

"Fuck," he breathed. "Stop."

Loki nibbled at the base of Tony's neck, teeth closing over the collar bone. "Say stop one more time and I will," he warned darkly.

Tony swallowed and said nothing.

Like a true connoisseur, Loki waited until Tony's rocking and panting reached the right pitch before releasing him from his arms. "Come along now," he beckoned, walking to the lift.

Tony pulled his clothes back straight, wincing slightly as the trousers were now just a little too tight. He followed angrily, slumping against the wall of the lift. "I'm busy today, you know."

"You can tinker with your toys after I have played with mine."

"Fuck off. And I meant I'm busy with _real work_. I have a conference call at five."

"There is always time later."

"Really? Will there ever be a moment where you don't want sex?"

Loki was quiet, apparently thinking. Then he turned a beaming smile on Tony. "No, you're absolutely right. There will never be a moment that I don't want your body." His green eyes twinkled so happily that Tony had to turn away, hiding the answering smile on his own face.

Tony shook his head as the man virtually skipped out the lift. Tony followed, his dejected attitude now entirely put on. "Don't you want to ask me about my day first? I thwarted a ring of terrorists today."

"I am pleased for you. Now, clothes off."

Tony sighed and stripped slowly. Loki watched with joy, before grabbing his wrist and pulling him into the bedroom. "Bar the doors and raise the drawbridge," Loki's words fluttered happily. "No interruptions. Just you and I and a night of panting."

Tony licked his lips. "No one into the tower, Jarvis."

"Yes sir."

"No interruptions," Tony said. "Unless it's an emergency call."

"Not even if it's an emergency call," Loki warned.

"I can't-" Tony began to argue, but the words ended in a whine as Loki's hand darted out, grabbed his length in a tight grip and started stroking with a frantic energy.

"Come on," Loki murmured, "that's it."

Tony felt the blood rushing down, his erection growing almost painfully quickly.

"Such a good boy," Loki said. He chuckled. "Now tell me how glad you are to be my thrall."

"Yeah, I'm so glad I can help you out in your quest to fuck with Thor."

"Ah, did you believe my terrible, terrible words downstairs?" Loki's second hand reached out to push Tony's fringe out of his eyes, stroking it back and away from his face. "Come on, precious little boy. Don't waste your time worrying over my wickedness when you could be cumming."

Tony swallowed as his cock throbbed, twitching in Loki's hand.

"How glad are you to be my thrall?"

"Definitely a seven out of ten," Tony said with a dark little smile.

Loki smacked his face hard and his length twitched again in response to the rush of arousal. Tony's eyes opened his gaze heavy and hazy now. "Again."

The smack was harder and made his face sting. Tony yelped in shock as Loki's thumb, gathering up the bead of pre-cum, rubbing over and over the head.

Tony shuddered and leaned forward, a silent beg for a kiss. Loki assented, lowering lips. Tony's tongue slipped in, dancing with Loki's.

His hand moved to grasp Loki's arm, but Loki batted it away. Tony felt unsteady on his feet as he tried to match the plundering energy of Loki's mouth. But without Loki letting him hold on, he was just a weak and dizzy man standing with his cock in a controlling fist.

_It can't be just the sex._

_How does he make me so happy to be alive?_

"How long do I have to stand here until you fuck me?" Tony moaned.

"Turn."

Tony threw him a sulky look before turning his back. Loki stroked fingers in deep. Tony was taking more on first penetration than he had ever done before. It was still a stretch, but there was no pain.

Loki's fingers pushed firmly and when they reached the prostrate, rubbed hard without warning. Tony's mouth hung open, gasping, his eyes firmly closed against the mounting pressure of pleasure. His fists clenched and unclenched as he fought for control. Fireworks behind his eyes just didn't do it justice.

"Do you ever remember it feeling like this?" Loki asked in Tony's ear.

Tony shook his head wildly.

"Are you glad to me my thrall?"

"Maybe," Tony croaked desperately. That pretty much used up the last of his resistance.

Loki clucked and slammed his fingers, fucking his ass roughly. Tony flew onto the balls of his feet, trying to escape the abuse. "Ah!"

"Do you think you could have remained on your feet, feeling this, before the binding?"

"N-ah-ga!"

Tony's back was arching where he stood, it was a weird feeling. What he would give to be strung up right now so he didn't have to worry about falling over.

"Are you glad to be a slave?"

"Ah-oh-huh," he gasped.

Loki pulled away and patted Tony's backside. "Off to the bed now."

Tony stumbled in, falling awkwardly onto the mattress, crawling forward blindly. Loki followed, never too far away.

He pulled Tony down, into his lap, folding the boy up in his arms. Tony felt his arms being pinned against his sides. Loki's mouth was back over his ear. "Can you feel that... Fullness? In your chest. In your soul... Our soul. Whole and full and one. I haven't been able to think of anything else since the binding."

Tony slurred something incoherent.

Loki pulled his head round and kissed him passionately. Tony whimpered and squirmed slightly in the lap. Out the corner of his eye, he felt the sudden nakedness of his partner before he saw the shimmer.

As Loki's teeth captured Tony's tongue and began suckling, Tony squirmed again. And the length beneath him began to solidify and press against the cheeks of his ass. Tony panted in anxiety, desperate to be taken, helpless to make it happen. He struggled weakly but Loki paid no attention.

His pace. His rules. His control.

Tony's cock leaked pre-cum, dripping messily. He whimpered and whined as Loki moved his mouth to bite and suck and lick his neck.

"Now, are you glad to be my Thrall?"

"Yes!"

"Are you pleased to be a slave?"

"Yes, yes!"

Loki's one arm pinned Tony's arms down, the other reached down and stroked gently.

Tony twisted and bucked the hand away. "No, no, in me," he begged.

Loki grabbed and jerked harshly. Tony head swung back, throwing back over Loki's shoulder, as he yelled out in ecstasy and anger. He came into the fist, shuddering as he finished.

When it all stopped, Tony felt limp. Awake but paralysed. He felt Loki shift beneath him. "Before you were a slave, you would have passed out from that," Loki whispered.

Tony couldn't focus, just floated on the haze surrounding him. He should have passed out, his body wanted to, but he was still awake. He was lifted up... then dropped. He couldn't even whimper as he sank down on Loki's cock, taken remorselessly, gravity and the god against him, until he finally came to stop, flush against Loki's lap.

Loki was panting, groaning, making noises of his own. All Tony could do was stare and shiver. He felt lips traveling his back, kissing him wetly.

"This isn't about Thor. It hasn't been about revenge in so long."

Tony was lifted again. Again he sank down and Loki's gasping shudder behind him. He hung in the arms, unable to get his body to respond. Loki pulled him up again; let him slide down the hard cock again. It was almost the pinnacle of the passive side of their relationship. Loki so often wanted Tony to be right there with him, but for now, he was just getting used.

Loki rubbed his face into Tony's hair, his hands reaching around to stroke Tony's thighs. "Before you were a thrall, how long do you think it would take for you to be ready once more?"

_Fucking days after an orgasm like that._

Loki soothed and petted Tony's shoulders and back for a while, before beginning to gently massage his balls. Tony cringed in the expectation of discomfort, but none came. Usually, after activity like that, he'd be too sore for touch, too painful. That was just biology.

_Human biology._

Tony was Tony 2.0 now. _Upgraded with extra capacity for wild, wet, hungry sex._

Tony would have smiled if he could move. Even the muscles in his face felt dead, putty in Loki's arms.

It wasn't long before Loki was stroking with long pulls, occasionally rubbing and gently twisting the head. Tony found he was almost breathing in sync with the actions. His muscles were shaking now. His tongue felt thick and heavy but he tried anyway. "Pl-z."

_Please stop? Please more?_ Tony had no idea.

"Hush, boy. You're in no position to argue."

_This is what he wants and all I have to do is take it._

"Just relax and accept what I want do to you. What choice do you have?"

Loki lifted Tony up and let him sink down again. Tony's body flinched at the stretch; his cock began to stiffen once more. Tony tried to shift, but immediately regretted it as the riged cock inside of him hit his prostate. His cock jumped painfully in Loki's hand as his nerve endings screamed in ecstasy.

"There we are," Loki said approvingly. "All ready for more. Such a wonderful toy I have, I love you so much. Now. Tell me. How glad are you I turned you into a slave?"

Tony nodded slowly.

"Truth is so much more believable when you remove words. Words are so deceitful. Are you happy?"

Tony's head turned, lips pressing gently again and again against Loki's forehead. Tony shuddered as Loki lifted him again and let him drop. This carried on for a little while until Loki carefully wrapped his arms around Tony's waist and moved until Tony was lying face down on the bed.

Loki moved with amazing artfulness, his length never leaving Tony for a moment, even as he lifted Tony's hips to slide a pillow underneath. He reached under and readjusted Tony's cock so it was pressed between his body and the pillow.

Tony was a little more together now, licking his lips, blinking and clenched down on the cock inside of, smiling wickedly as he heard Loki's gentle groan.

"Are you my slave?"

_Oh shut the fuck up. Insecure prima donna._

Tony's eyes narrowed slightly. "I'm your partner."

Loki was silent for a long while as fingers stroked their way through Tony's hair.

Eventually he said, "Yes. Yes, you are my mate. My partner. The other half of my soul. But you are also my thrall. My slave. My boy. Does that mean you're anything less to me? More than a slave and more than a partner. You're mine, Tony. Say it."

"I'm yours."

"And what are you?"

Tony closed his eyes slightly as his internal war came to an explosive end. "I'm your slave."

"And?"

"Your mate." Tony shifted, trying to turn. "Want to see you," he muttered miserably as Loki placed a gentle but powerful hand between his shoulder blades, keeping him still.

Suddenly Loki, Loki's clone, was in front of him, kneeling at the end of the bed. He reached out and clasped Tony's hand. Fingers interlocked as Tony stared up into the green eyes.

"It is beautiful, the binding," Loki said soothingly. "It's an amazing thing we've done, Tony. You're never going to be alone again."

Tony groaned heatedly as Loki began to move. He turned slightly but fingers caught his face and turned him back. "No. Behind you is just sex. I'm here. Look at me, your eyes on me."

Tony stared into Loki as the cock dragged out and pushed into his body, stretching and probing. As it went deeper and deeper, Tony pulled Loki's hand closer to him. Hands so white and perfect and slender and…

Before Tony's mind could awaken enough to work out exactly what was wrong, Loki began soothing with whispered words, his free hand stroking and petting his face.

The thought already forgotten, Tony's hips began squirming, creating a heat and a friction against the pillow which was going to make him cum and soon too.

Loki recognised the signs, the slight strain in his boy's face and the increase in gasps. "Whenever you want to, love. Whenever it feels right to you."

Tony rocked his hips back, his mouth open, his field of vision getting nearer and nearer, his eyes locked on Loki.

"Oh I love it when you dance for me, Tony."

There was a cliff edge, a point where he pushed his body too far and when he fell, he wouldn't be able to stop the release for the world.

"The tenseness in your jaw, the lines between your brows, the half open and panting mouth… its art, Tony. The way you experience your orgasms is an amazing sight."

That used to be scary. Sex with Loki, it had always been scary. Loki had pushed Tony to feel sex in a way he had never done before. Sex with Loki was forced surrender and cumming an admission of how much he wanted it.

"If I had any consideration for the rest of the world, I would tie you up and put you on display, making you cum again and again so they could watch this art. Ha. It is unfortunate for them that I do not share."

Tony grunted, panting through gritted teeth as he got closer and closer. Loki's face moved up to his, wanting to share this moment Tony was feeling, his lips so close Tony's could feel his breath on his lips.

"That's it, that's it. You're so perfect."

Tony felt his body spasm as he released suddenly. His eyes went wide; he gripped Loki's hand with a bone crushing force. He didn't yell or scream, it was silent apart from the strangled gasp.

His upper body collapsed with his face pressing against Loki's hand as the thrusting behind him grew harder. Loki came with a howl which ended in a loud noise of relief.

Loki fell to Tony side, gasping and moaning as his clone focused on encouraging Tony. "Come on, little one," he said, lifted Tony up and pulling him back so his head fell against the pillow at the head of the bed. "Get some sleep."

"Wait," Tony breathed. He reached out blearily for Loki.

As Loki moved closer, his face showing his puzzled frown, Tony grasped his hand and pulled it towards him.

"Your hand."

Hands are so betraying of their owners. Thor's hands, used to wielding a hammer, were large and rough. Loki had pianist fingers, long and slender. Smooth and clean as a scholar's. Manicured.

But now there was a white cross starting halfway over his hand and finishing at the wrist, the second line crossing it near the knuckle of his thumb. It looked like an old scar, but Tony took a little pride in knowing Loki's body as well as the god knew his.

"Your hand," Tony repeated.

Loki chuckled and knelt down next to Tony's head. "I told you before, my love, magic loves its mischief making as much as I. Just… a little reminder. That force against my new found little pet is not tolerated." Loki was smiling. He seemed impressed with the magic. Almost proud of it.

_I did this._

_He makes me so happy and I do this to him._

It had been a reaction, just an instinctual reaction to the moving ribbon that Tony pulled away. He wasn't unwilling.

He hadn't meant one tiny little reaction to scar.

"I-" Tony began.

"Hush those words, the words I know you want to say. It's a little scar, that is all. I have already littered your body with plenty; it was time for one of my own. It will serve us well. It will remind me never to be too evil."

Tony felt his eyes closing no matter how hard he fought to keep them open. "Will you be here?" Tony asked.

"I'm sorry, I have pressing matters to attend to. I will not be back until tomorrow night. I will be here after your little fundraiser. I expect you to return _sober_, boy."

"But... Your clone..."

"Yes, what a lovely thought. To leave behind a clone to hold you while you sleep and take your mewling body again and again until you beg for mercy. But alas, I cannot maintain my image when my body is in another realm."

Tony frowned. "Asgard?"

"No, not Asgard. There are seven others to choose from."

"Jötunheimr?"

"Go to sleep."

As Tony began to slip into... Well, sleep was too optimistic a word. As he fell into unconsciousness, he felt the real Loki stand, shimmer back into his usual state and plant a brief kiss on Tony's head before pulling the covers over him.

"That was divine," he heard the god whisper gently. "Thank you."

xxx

Sometime later, when Tony had finally pulled himself back together, he reluctantly got to back to work. Once a week, he had an hour long video conference with the main heads of Stark Industries. It was tiresome and annoying but a perfect opportunity to wind up his CEO.

Tony was back down in the lab sitting at his desk and talking to the monitors around him. Faces were hanging in light, all watching him, all listening as Tony expounded on his plans for the arc reactor. That was one of the great things about being a billionaire; no one ever really told him to shut the fuck up.

He finally finished, his vision of the future so solid in his mind he was convinced it was possible. He turned back to the screens, almost forgetting he was talking to people. "Well?"

Two of the three faces agreed. Jimmy, or James Conway, was looking angry.

_I miss Pepper. But I miss her for her mind._

"What's wrong, Jimmy?" Tony asked, his hand kneading a bright yellow stress ball with a smiley face on it.

"I don't think it's a good idea."

"You don't?"

"Tony, we're expanding too fast, too soon," he said, now sitting up and leaning closer to the monitor. "If we try building into Asia now, we're going to take on a crippling financial burden, something I'd have no idea how to solve."

"Isn't that your job?" Tony asked with a dark smirk.

Jimmy sat back, angrily crossing his arms. "You brought me on as a businessman, not a devotee. Do what you want, Tony. But do it at the expense of the company and we've got problems."

"Actually, I think you'll find that they'll be your problems, not mine." Tony's eyes now flickered to the two other faces. Both engineers and guys he trusted. Even if, one in fact, was a woman.

The point was that these two people thought he was brilliant, because they understood what he was trying to do.

_But that's not the way politics works, is it?_

_And one little thoughtless action causes so much pain._

"Thanks guys," he said, shutting off the monitors. The middle image expanded now so Jimmy's feed took up the whole screen. "What's up?"

"You shouldn't bring them to these meetings."

"They're my top engineers. They're the ones who know what's going on in Stark Industries."

"No, I do," Jimmy said angrily. "I do."

"You know money and not much else."

"I'm not a visionary, or an engineer, I keep the books. I do the politics. That's all I do. And if you could do that, Stark the great genius, then you'd be in my job."

Tony snorted. "Your job is boring."

"My job is the only thing between you and financial ruin. You're an ego-centric, vain, selfish-" Jimmy paused, cursed violently and rubbed his hands over his face. He looked back at Tony and chuckled mirthlessly. "You know, Picasso never sold a painting in his life."

"Why are we talking about Picasso?"

"Tesla died penniless."

"You're quite the ray of sunshine today, aren't you?"

"You need me."

Tony laughed. "Wow. Didn't see that coming. I'm flattered, but you're not my type."

Jimmy looked like he was at the end of his rope.

_One little, thoughtless moment. And Loki ends up with a scar._

_One little, thoughtless moment and I manage to do so much damage to so many people._

Tony sighed, squeezing the stress ball in his fist. "Did I ever tell you about the first thing I invented? It was a very specific programme which allows computers to learn. Real, cognitive computing and the first steps towards beating the Turing Test. Way more advanced than anything else out there. If I so say so myself. And I do. I wrote it out on the back of my maths text book in my sophomore year in university. Took me nearly a whole day to perfect it. Well, I was young. Three years later, I gave it to some guy I liked and trusted because he was working with AI and had better ability to put it to use. A month later, he published it as his own. It's now called Scrivener's Code."

Jimmy watched Tony carefully. "I didn't know that."

"It's not exactly a story I tell at parties."

"You could sue."

"I could sue."

"But?"

Tony shrugged. "Virtually every AI on the planet uses that code. I changed the world, whether it knows it or not. You know," Tony sat up now, looking at the man on the screen in all seriousness. "You know what I want? Actually, bad question. I want everything. That's all part of being an ego-centric, vain, selfish fucker. Do you know what I _need_? A lab. Take everything else from me and I might not be happy, but so long as I have a lab, I'll live. Take my lab from me and I'm as good as dead."

_I can't live in Asgard as Loki's toy._

"I… create. I create things that you _accountants_ could never even dream of. But you're right, I don't know politics. I don't know money. So I employ people like you. and all I ask is that you leave me alone to push the technological understanding of the human race as far forward as I can before, like Picasso, Tesla and Da Vinci, I die alone clinging to my last masterpiece."

_I'm not going to die alone. Not anymore._

"Mere invention can't sustain a company," Jimmy argued.

"So everyone keeps telling me."

_I am Tony Stark. I am the owner of Stark Industries and I'm not dictated to by a guy who probably dreams in black and white._

_I am Tony, trying to resolve the fact I am both Stark and Boy. Loki's mate and toy. The Iron Man, one of Earth's greatest heroes, who's destined to live only while Loki lives._

"I'm trying to help you, Tony."

_One day at a time, but today is going to be a bad day for anyone who tries to 'handle' me._

Tony laughed. "I've noticed. Everyone always says that and to be honest, it's one of the major reasons I really don't think that much of people. Either they're lying or they're telling the truth and I don't know what's more pathetic. I'm a genius, obviously, but does it really take an IQ in the three digits to see that I'm not worth the effort everyone seems hell bent on giving? Give me my lab, brick the doors shut and fuck off. Am I so charming and sexy and handsome that you people just can't help yourself?"

_Why do people like Bruce and Loki and all the rest of them just not take the hint?_

Tony rolled his eyes at the world in general. "I want an arc reactor on every continent and if possible, every country before I die. That's what we're doing. If we get China on board, the rest of Asia follows."

In the face of Tony's determination, the hapless Stark Industries CEO became frustrated again. "You want to build your legacy. Fine, I get it. I want to make sure that the thousands of people Stark Industries employs have jobs tomorrow!"

"Do you get that the arc reactor could stop wars? Resource wars are just around the fucking corner. We've already been to war once over oil; this will make sure that will never happen!"

"You can't use Stark Industries just to get your name into the history books-"

"In case you haven't noticed, my name is already in the history books. And I'm not a side-note either, I'm a fucking chapter and I'm in the index."

"The stock holders and I will not let you run the company into the ground for-"

"My company. Stark Industries. Tony Stark. Nice to meet you."

"This is getting us nowhere."

"Then why are you still talking?"

Jimmy sat back heavily in his chair, shaking his head and glaring at nothing. Tony wasn't as vexed as his colleague. It comes from forty years of believing you were always in the right and everyone around you was just that little bit too stupid to get it.

But his time with the Avengers, his friendship with Thor and Bruce, and his newfound subservience was teaching him patience and docility. Not matter what he wanted to believe, it had changed him somewhat.

_More than a boy, more than Tony and more than the Iron Man._

_Walking into a new world knowing nothing more than I don't want to go back to what I was._

He sighed, threw the ball up in the air a few times and catching it.

"There's going to be an arc reactor on every continent before I die," Tony said, in a voice which wouldn't accept anything other than this fact. "How that happens, we can talk about that."

"Yeah and with the Avengers and that fucking suit," Jimmy said with a roll of his eyes, "means you could be dead tomorrow."

Tony smiled. "And how much are you hoping that happens?"

"You have no idea."

Tony laughed and sighed. "Work up a plan. Show me what you've got. I won't dismiss it out of hand. But I don't have to agree to anything, got it?"

Jimmy nodded and terminated the call. Tony sighed again, he felt worn through.

_That's enough work for the day. Time for the fun stuff._

Tony returned to his car, determined to see if he could build a suit into the car, so that at a push of a button, he could get suited while driving.

That would be so cool.


	38. Chapter 38: Caught

"Welcome back, sir. How was the event?"

Tony hauled himself out of the car. "The usual," he said, unable to hide the disappointment. "These things just aren't fun anymore."

"I am sorry to hear that, sir."

As Loki had demanded the night before, Tony was devastatingly sober. _Only because there were no decent drinks at the event._ No to mention that old dowager heiress who, unfortunately, tended to be at a lot of the parties Tony went to, had made a beeline for him and under such circumstances, it was better not to be wobbly when trying to make his escape.

He made his way up to the flat and as soon as he got there, he quickly retrieved the gold tube from the bedroom, stroking it as he walked back into the kitchen.

Loki shimmered into view. "How was it?"

"Great," Tony lied, pouring himself a drink. "Threw some money around, chatted up the ladies, juggled knives, the usual."

Loki titled his head. "Why would you juggle knives?"

"I'm not too proud to admit I only do things sometimes to wind you up. What realm did you go to?"

"Pardon?" Loki asked vaguely.

Tony looked up curiously. "You heard. What realm did you go to after the sprint fuck last night?"

"'_Sprint _fuck'? I hope you are not implying it was too fast for you, Tony. Because I will willingly draw your suffering out for longer if you really desire."

Tony rolled his eyes. "So you don't want to talk about it."

"No." Loki sighed. "Pour me one too."

"Well, I had a long, long thoroughly unproductive talk with my CEO," Tony said. "He doesn't want to expand into Asia."

"So soon? Surely it's a risk in this financial climate?"

Tony looked up, agog. Loki shrugged dismissively. "Justin likes to talk. I let him."

"Justin doesn't know shit. And 'financial climate' is code for 'my business isn't doing well'."

"Whatever you say, my love."

"Patronizing ass," Tony muttered. Tony handed the scotch over, but before Loki could drink it, Tony caught his mouth in a chaste kiss.

Loki's eyes stared into Tony's. "Hum, lovely. Why?"

"What, there has to be a reason?" Tony demanded. Then he smiled, leaned up and locked his lips over Loki's, stroking his tongue inside, exploring the mouth which featured in his every dream. He hummed delightedly, holding Loki's shoulder and pulling himself up, trying to get closer.

_Ridiculously tall bastard._

Loki stoked his hand down Tony's back. The kiss lasted for… ages it seemed, before Tony finally let go. Unwillingly, but hey, a guy's got to breathe. He was panting slightly, looking up at Loki, his eyes slightly dilated, his face heated and his lips red.

"I bought a new car, too," he told Loki conversationally.

"Wonderful."

"One of the original Ford GT40s."

"Is this one for driving, or for looking at?" Loki asked. His face was gentle and curious, his tone held that slight edge of mocking.

Tony rolled his eyes. "You just don't get cars. So, you want to fuck or not?"

Loki sighed again. "Well… alright then."

Tony snorted and lay back against the arm of the sofa, pulling his slender god with him. Loki moved close and Tony wrapped his legs around him. The pale face hung over him then dipped in, kissing Tony deeply.

Tony sank into it, revealing in the newly discovered gentleness. Loki moved and Tony gazed at the curve of his ear among the black hair as lips trailed along his jaw and into his neck. Loki ran his hands against the material against Tony's stomach, moving up to stroke his covered chest. He played with Tony's jacket briefly, a small smile tugging at his thin lips at some private joke.

"What's so funny?"

Loki laughed softly now. "You."

"A car is a piece of art in its own right, you know."

"All that metal and those curves. And you build yourself a rocket suit. Mechanophilia."

"It's not a rocket suit. I'm not Jetpack Johnny. And what... that?"

Loki's teeth almost glittered as he leered. "Fetish for technology."

"Well, I won't argue with that."

"And how am I, a mere god and ice giant, supposed to compete with your GT40?"

Tony chuckled. "Oh I'm sure you'll think of something."

Loki fingers stroked his face, running finger tips down the jugular vein to the collar of his shirt, which was suddenly feeling very uncomfortable as the heat rose in him. The god untied the bow tie delicately, achingly slowly. Tony sighed slightly as the material opened and cool air hit his warm skin. Joined almost immediately by Loki's eager lips. Loki bent, as lithe and agile as a cat, kissing and licking down Tony's chest to his stomach. Tony moaned at the wet sucking noises and began to feel that unmistakable stirring in his groin. The lips moved back up to take Tony's nipples in his mouth, sucking and running his tongue back and forth over the hard little buds.

"This is new," Tony crooned. "It's nice."

Tony felt the shirt being pulled out his trousers and realized the sneaky bastard had opened them up while he had been sucking. A hand dipped in briefly to stroke the semi erect cock before his arms came up to warp around Tony, kissing him deeply.

Tony's hands reached up, pulling open Loki's shirt, a little more excitedly and lot faster than Loki's painfully slow undressing had been. He pulled it off Loki shoulders and his hands were already forcing the black t-shirt up the strong chest before Loki's spidery hands gripped him.

"Ah, ah, ah," Loki breathed in sweet reproving tones.

Loki's mouth returned to Tony's neck. The playboy whimpered and folded his legs tightly round Loki, pressed his hips up into the body almost humping like an animal in heat. A chuckle made Tony wince.

"I thought you were enjoying the tenderness," Loki breathed. "After all, you started it."

"I did! I am!" Tony whispered desperately. "I am, I just... Fuck, Loki, I can't ever win with you! When you're rough I want you nice and when you're nice I want you drive me into the bed! No matter what you do to me, it's too much to bear." Tony heard the words he was bleating and laughed at his own contrariness. It made him feel giddy. "Fuck, I'm going to go insane with you."

Loki laughed too, "Such adulation, Tony. Come now, you'll make me blush. Now, be a good pet and stay still for me. Now quiet. There's much magic to be created here and I need your obedience."

Tony stayed still and quiet. Loki smiled approvingly and nibbled his jaw and took his ear between his lips. Tony groaned delightedly and arched into every wet kiss, breathing heavily, his eyelids heavy, thinking nothing, not trying to control, just existing to feel.

Lifting Tony briefly up, Loki slipped the shirt off and kissed his exposed shoulders, burying his face in the mortal's neck and humming slightly. Tony's legs tightened around the narrow hips. Tony ran his fingers through Loki's smooth black hair and heard the god sigh in his ear.

"Not many guys can pull off hair this long with any style," Tony said, the hair soft beneath his fingers. "Don't ever change it."

"If that's what my boy wants." Loki finally pulled off the last of Tony's clothes. Tony gasped as ice covered him. He shuddered, looking up into Loki's cerulean blue face.

"Oh Loki," he whispered happily.

He reached up and pulled Loki's face towards him. This was something he had wanted to do from the first time he saw the face. He paused briefly to look Loki deep in those red eyes, giving him his best cheeky smile. He leaned up and ran his tongue over the whorls and spirals in his skin.

Yes it was cold. It was freezing and making Tony shiver violently. But the pain and the sick feeling was no longer there.

_So the binding finally pays off._

"Get these off," Tony muttered desperately, pulling at Loki's trousers.

Loki allowed Tony to pull the remainder of his clothes from him. In fact, he chuckled slightly at Tony's excitement.

As Tony reached for the ice cold cock, pumping it delightedly the ice god stroked his face with a blue hand. Tony looked up into the wide, smiling red eyes.

"This form is the nightmare of any Asgardian. For a Midgardian child, it would be their bogeyman. The monster under the bed. I spent my childhood having nightmares about the creatures who wear this face. When I first realised what I was, I believed myself cursed. As though a hidden evil within me was the reason I had never been loved. But when I see you, my darling little boy, and the large, adoring, lust filled eyes you turn upon me now, I finally begin to accept this body."

Tony stroked Loki's erection quickly, his other hand gliding cross the blue flat chest. "I don't love this more than the Asgardian form," he said truthfully. "You're just exciting, no matter what colour."

He leaned up and licked Loki's nipple. At Loki's groan, he just held his mouth over it and suckled urgently. Loki's cold hand crept round Tony's neck and held him there as the boy's hand stroked even more desperately up and down the cold cock.

They spent a long time like that, Tony sucking and licking and thanking the universe that he could finally play with this beautiful body for hours without ending up in accident and emergency with frostbite or hypothermia. Loki just held Tony, enjoying his boy's selfless act of worship.

Tony broke away, gasping. "Oh god, put it in me! Put it in me."

Loki smiled and pulled Tony into the bedroom by a hand. Leading him like a child. Tony watched the blue body move, naked, muscles rippling, raised whirls and swirls all over his body.

"Stay here."

Tony waited by the bed as patiently as he could manage. Tony was not known for his patience. "Oh come on!" he demanded. "On your left, top draw, at the back. Come on!"

Loki came back from the bathroom, silent laughter making his chest shudder. "Precocious child. Bend over, hands on the bed."

Tony bent over and muttered painfully, "Come on, Loki, I'm so hard." Tony shuddered and squirmed as icy fingers prepared him. He moaned and threw his head back.

"How does it feel?"

"Amazing," Tony breathed wonderfully.

"No," Loki said with a chuckle. "I mean, what does it feel like?"

Tony took a moment as he realised what Loki was asking. "Do you feel cold?"

"No, not at all. Though neither do I feel warm."

"It's cold," Tony breathed. "Reaching and stroking. I'm so hot and the cold makes my body shudder without thinking. It's weird."

"But you like it?"

"Yes!" Tony cried, begging Loki to believe it.

Loki wasn't having it though. "Convince me, boy."

"When you touch me like this, it forces me to think of nothing else. The cold makes me understand exactly where you are and what you want." Tony was surprised with himself but he shouldn't have been.

Before Loki, he wasn't a vocal lover about what he needed or wanted or how good it was. Sex was sex. Now Loki was slowly teaching him what his body wanted and was training him to ask for it.

"Do you want me to take you?"

"Yes! Yes please!"

"Tell me what and how you want it."

"I want you to take me in the ass, on the bed, hard, until you cum and collapse on top of me."

"And yourself? Do you wish to cum?"

"Well duh."

Loki chuckled at Tony's glibness. "Lean back and kiss me."

It was an awkward twist, but there was something so wrong in kissing a man who's fingers were squirming inside of you. It made Tony sigh with joy. Tony's tongue dove into the cold mouth, delighting in the chill rather than what used to be pain.

The fingers still worked, stroking, soothing, stretching and silently driving Tony crazy. "You're such a bastard," Tony crooned.

"Don't think that your pretty flattery will encourage me to bring you to climax any faster, Tony. I mean to enjoy myself."

"Come on, damn it," Tony hissed through gritted teeth. If Loki didn't hurry it up, he was going to cum right now.

"Spoil sport. Hang on," Loki leaned down and pulled a control, connected to the bed and the mains.

Tony frowned until he finally realized what it was. "An electric blanket?" He asked incredulously. "What, is your hip playing up old man?"

Tony's body lurched forward in pleasurable pain as Loki smacked him hard round his backside. He smiled to himself.

"Get in the bed."

Tony slid in. "When did you sneak this in then?" Already, the bed was beginning to warm. This was the kind of blanket which was underneath the bed sheet, rather than the duvet.

_Who fucking cares when he installed an electric blanket? I'm fucking hard here._

"Come here," Tony demanded, grabbing Loki's arm and pulling him in.

He captured the blue lips and slipped his tongue in immediately. The heat of sex, the heat of the bed, the icy cold of his partner. Tony shuddered, pulling the ice giant closer and wrapping his legs around the narrow waist.

"Yes, Loki, yes," Tony whispered, stroking his hair passionately.

"Say it, Tony. You so rarely do."

"Say what?" Tony said distractedly.

"Say what I say all the time, yet I have to pull from you."

Tony opened his eyes as he realized. "I... I'm sorry. I just... It's never been easy, it-" Tony cursed himself for being so... Tony. "I love you, Loki."

"Thank you," Loki whispered and buried his face into Tony's neck.

Ice. Wrapping round him, pushing into him, stretching him wider and making him gasp with mounting ecstasy.

His head swung back, clinging to blue shoulders. His vision was blurred, tunnelled, not looking at anything just feeling. The cold against the whelming heat sent Tony into a continuous shudder. "Oh yes Loki, you're so good! I do, I do... Love you, I do."

Loki made little hushing sounds as he thrust hard. Tony lay, pinned under the icy force and crooned loudly.

"I love you, I love you, believe me I do," Tony gasped as the pounding grew faster. The bed was shaking, his eyes were crossing. "Fuck! Fuck!" he worked his body back into Loki's as hard as he could; the two figures were alive with writhing.

They were going to cum quickly now, nothing could have stopped them. But the anxiety about that was gone for Tony. He used to get worked up and upset that his glorious god made him cum so quickly, made it end so soon. But that panic wasn't there anymore, because now he was beginning to realise that this wasn't ending. This wasn't stopping. That Tony was going to cum, so soon now, thrashing and bucking in the bed and then Loki was going to roll him over and start again.

Tony didn't have to worry that it was going to be over so soon, because Loki was never going to stop fucking him. For eternity.

That image flash into Tony's mind and his body jerked. "Fuck I'm going to-" he didn't finish the sentence before he was flailing, choking, drowning on the pleasure.

Above him, he heard Loki's mutual shout and felt the body shudder hard against him.

He lay still under the cold body, grateful for it in his hot, sweaty mess. Loki shimmered back into his warm body, still panting, muttering Asgardian absently.

Tony frowned slightly now as he glared at the ceiling. Almost as wordless comfort in his new state of concern, Tony's arms came up to hold Loki delicately.

The god, so in tune with his boy's wants, needs and worries, looked up. "What causes such perplexities, boy?" Loki muttered, rubbing the slight crease between Tony's two brows. "You know your god dislikes seeing you thinking and not cumming."

"That was very... Vanilla."

Loki cocked his head, his brow furrowing. "I do not recall the taste."

"No, it means... Well... We _made love_," Tony said, cringing at the expression. It wasn't one a grown man should use, in his opinion. "We didn't fuck or play we just... Made love." It seemed to be the only expression to describe it.

Loki's eyes widened. "Make love," he mused, seemly only hearing of the expression now. "I believe I rather like the term."

"It was... I have to get up," he said distractedly. He tried to move out of bed, starting to feel that old need to distance himself from the god.

Loki allowed him out of the bed, but grabbed his arm, preventing him from walking to the bathroom. "Is the fact you love me so frightening to you?"

"Yes," Tony said honestly. "Not because it's you. It's just frightening in general."

"I can be cruel to you if you want."

Tony squirmed internally. "I want you to be cruel when we… play. Not because I can't deal with the closeness."

"I can fuck you so many ways, my sweet boy." Loki smirked as he ran his eyes over Tony's body. "Are you ready yet?"

Tony snorted. "Seriously? After that I'm not-"

Loki leaned out the bed and captured Tony's cock between his lips. He sucked teasing for a good long few minutes before pulling back. "Are you ready yet?"

_Fucking bonding._

"Pretty pointless trying to say no," Tony whimpered piteously.

Loki pulling him back into the bed. The two struggled silently for a moment as Tony put up a small fight until they were pressed up together, their bodies interlocking so naturally.

"Round two?" Tony asked with a cocky smile.

"Of course," Loki purred.

Tony bent his head back luxuriously off the foot of the bed, letting Loki's lips feathering over his neck... swore violently and pushed him off. "Bruce!"

He grabbed a robe, pulling it on frantically and ran from the room. "Jarvis, stop the elevator!"

Inside the brightly lit elevator, Bruce pushed himself into a corner like a frightened animal, shuddering and blinking. "Tony, let me leave," he whispered. Green was shimmering across his skin. "Let me leave, Tony!" His body shuddered and morphed, but it was being fought back, Bruce pulled back hard on the Hulk's leash, forcing it back. "Please," Bruce muttered.

Tony wasn't sure if that last word was meant for him or the Hulk.

"Bruce, just breathe for me," Tony said in a tone of entirely pretend calm.

His eyes glanced desperately towards the bedroom. He didn't know what he was more worried about; Loki helping and hurting Bruce or Bruce hurting Loki.

Mind you, what he was more worried about was Bruce hurting him. There were only so many times he wanted to be thrown out his own window. "Bruce, just calm down."

"Calm?" The small man asked incredulously, a little laugh breaking out. "Tony, what are you doing?"

"Talking you down from the green edge," Tony said soothingly.

"That's Loki," Bruce pointed out.

Tony took a double take at the bedroom. "Really? I hadn't-"

"No, stop it. It's not funny."

"Come back in," Tony said, gesturing out of the lift.

"No!" Bruce said alarmed, "No I don't think so." His eyes flashed on the bedroom.

"You're afraid of him?"

"I'm afraid of what I'll do to him," Bruce said. He swallowed, his eyes resting sadly on Tony's, meeting his gaze steadily for the first time Tony could remember. "I'm afraid of what I'll do to you."

Tony paused. "Look... Give me a minute to grab some clothes and we'll talk in the la- on the fourth floor."

Tony hated himself for it, but the fourth floor was a secure floor. He could be out of the room in seconds and lock the Hulk in. It had been Bruce's idea - a place that he could be taken, other than the Helicarrier, which could secure him. And he had already made it clear that Stark Tower was his preferred prison to SHIELD.

Bruce nodded desperately. "Yes. Yes. We should go to the fourth floor."

"I'll go and-"

"Tony, this is Loki! He's insane, he's a murderer, he's after Thor!"

"Well, no offence to the guy who turns into a ten foot tall green killing machine, but arguably, everyone I hang out with is insane."

"He'll kill you, he'll hurt you!"

Tony walked forward and, despite Bruce's protests, grabbed his shoulder and stared into his eyes. "No. He won't."

Bruce shuddered hard. "Go."

"Hang on, I'll get my clothes."

He walked quickly back into the bedroom and pulled on jeans and t-shirt. Loki was standing, fully clothed, glaring coldly. "Where are you going?"

"Just downstairs with Bruce."

"And if I stop you?"

"You'll get your ass kicked by the Hulk and I'll have to re-do the flooring again."

Loki's eye's flashed dangerously and he grabbed Tony's wrist painfully. "He's dangerous. He's a monster, Tony."

Tony wrenched his arm away. "You know what the irony is? I've just had the exact same conversation with him."

He pulled on his shoes quickly and glared back at the angry god. "Haven't you got an Asgardian court to manipulate?"

"You expect me to leave with that thing-"

"Leave," Tony said shortly.

Loki looked like he was going to argue but changed his mind. "I will return in a few hours."

Tony glared sceptically. "How do I know you're not going to freak out?"

"We are bound, my claim over you is solidified and legitimized. You cannot run from me now and there is no longer any great urgency in correcting your behaviour. We have all the time in the world."

"Unless you die. Then we're both dead."

"In that unhappy event, one would presume I had greater worries on my mind than your disobedience."

"So I'm not going to get into trouble for this?"

"Oh I am going to beat you until you beg for mercy, Tony. But we can do it later."

"Fine," Tony snapped annoyed, and walked out the bedroom, back to his friend.

"Tony."

"What?"

Loki held his gaze with a firm, serious expression. "If I return to find you injured... you're not the only one who gained strength through the binding. My powers have grown and while I may not be able to kill the monster, I will make it regret having ever existed."

Tony fought back a shudder. Loki's tone was far more like the voice Tony had remembered from before they were together. Evil Loki. Evil promises Tony knew he would honour.

Tony quickly joined Bruce in the lift. The man's body was hunched slightly, his arms out wide clawing the walls, his head hanging down, his fringe in his face.

"Jarvis, fourth floor."

"H-hurry," Bruce stammered quietly.

"Yes sir. Would you like me to contact SHIELD?"

"Absolutely not."

"Call them," Bruce whispered. He looked up. His eyes were turning black. "I won't tell them about... Ha. I won't be in a position to tell them anything. But they need to know-"

"No. This isn't about Loki. You're already on probation after the bar room brawl, Maverick." Tony reached out and grabbed Bruce's shoulder, trying to comfort the little man. "We deal with this one together and off the books."

The shiny metal doors opened and Bruce practically threw himself out, stumbling into the room.

The fourth floor was a large white room, the walls floor and ceiling massively enforced. There was a glass box, but not for the Hulk. The glass divided off a small room. On one side of the room there was a door to the huge white room; on the other side were the doors to the lift.

The point was to be able to come and to check on the Hulk without getting clobbered the minute you walked out the lift.

Bruce threw himself at the secure door. "Open it."

"No," Tony said, pulling up one of the two chairs. "Let's talk fir-"

"Open the door." Bruce's voice was a dark tone of forced calm.

"Let's talk-"

"Now!" Bruce bellowed. His voice was a roar, forcing its way out of that small body.

Tony couldn't help but admit, it frightened him.

He stared at Bruce carefully. "Come on man," he said gently. "You're not going to let Loki wind you up like this, are you? You're not going to let me, of all people, wind you up like this?" Tony took a cautious step forward "Plenty of reasons to Hulk out in this world. My sex life isn't one of them."

Bruce shuddered again but seemed to regain some composure. He sunk to the floor, but one hand stayed resolutely on the door handle. He turned his face miserably, burying into the crook of his outstretched arm.

Tony sighed, abandoned the chair and went over to sit on the ground next to Bruce.

"Feeling better?"

"No."

"Okay." Tony paused. _Well, you knew you were going to get caught eventually._ "Look, I know that wasn't the best way to-"

"Are you insane? Tony, he's demented, he's using you, he's-"

"We're hitched. Sort of. We're tied to one another. It's permanent. The fact of the matter is, you kill him you kill me, Bruce."

It was a long and painful conversation. But for once, Tony didn't joke. He just told Bruce everything from the beginning, leaving out the details on the sex of course. Though he... Tony hinted it, gently. He didn't want to have this conversation again when the guy worked that particularly bit out.

To Tony's surprise, the nature of their games didn't alarm or disgust the man. For a ten foot tall rage machine, he was remarkably accepting.

"The thing is, I need him. It's... It's crazy and dangerous and stupid but it's mine. Don't tell me that because of that I've lost your friendship because you may just actually see me cry." Tony's tone was sarcastic. But his heart was breaking.

Bruce shook his head. "You haven't lost anything but your mind, Tony."

"Some might say I never had it in the first place." Tony glanced sideways. "Can I just ask... This isn't because he's a man right?"

The look Bruce gave him said it all. "I don't care if he was a horse, Tony. You can... _do_ whoever you like."

"Well I'm not doing a horse. People would talk. I was just going to say, if that's what's bothering you, there's some question marks over the whole man thing where Loki's concerned anyway."

"Lockley?"

_Smart boy. _"Yeah."

"Fuck," Bruce groaned, unusually for him. "Tony, I don't care, I honestly don't care but for the fact he's going to kill you."

"He won't," Tony said. "No matter what else he might do, he won't do that."

"And you're okay with that?"

"Yeah."

"Fuck," Bruce repeated. He paused for a long time. Tony was relieved to see he was no longer shuddering. "I'm not going to ask because it's none of my business. But the sadomasochism; how badly are you injured?"

"Enough to make me cum," Tony said crudely. He wasn't trying to be cruel, or embarrass his friend; he just needed Bruce to understand. Bruce gave him a look and Tony sighed, "Bruises, cuts that sort of thing. Frostbite on occasion, if I'm lucky. No broken bones."

_Not counting the first time._

"Cuts? How deep?"

_Very._

"Not very," Tony lied.

Bruce knew he was lying. "I want to give you a check-up in the lab."

"As much as I want to play doctor and nurses with you, mate, it's not going to happen."

"Because he won't like it?"

"No, because I wouldn't."

"You are going to come to the lab with me and I'm going to give you a check-up, or I'm going to go up there and tell him exactly what I think of him."

Tony rolled his eyes. "And if we go to the lab and you Hulk out?"

"Would I?"

Tony considered. "You might."

"We're doing it," Bruce said firmly. He sighed then. "Maybe later. When I'm calmer."

"What can I do?"

"Leave me alone for a bit," Bruce said.

Leaving Bruce alone with his thoughts was really not what Tony wanted to do. Bruce had an even worse tendency than himself to get dragged down in the mire. And whereas Tony drank to survive it, Bruce flipped out.

Tony couldn't think badly of the Hulk though. The Hulk had spat out a bullet Bruce had fired into his mouth to end it all. For that, he owed the Hulk.

"Alright," Tony said, patting him on the shoulder. "You come find me if you want me."

Tony went back up to the penthouse. Loki had taken his leave, leaving the bedroom neat and tidy as was a curious habit of his.

"Jarvis, can we have a quick chat on how incredibly awkward that was?"

"I'm sorry, Sir. But you have allowed Bruce special privileges. And he used the code to gain immediate access."

"But you didn't warn me because..."

"Sir, you asked for no interruptions whatsoever at four fifty eight and thirteen seconds." Jarvis sounded like he was trying to make a point.

"Yeah, I get it." Tony sighed. When it came down to it, Jarvis was still a computer and could only operate as far Tony allowed him to. He sighed and rubbed his face. "Did he say what was so urgent?"

"No Sir. Perhaps it was a business matter, would you like me to put in a call to SHIELD?

"No. Then I'd have to explain why Bruce didn't give me the message."

"Speaking of Dr Banner, sir." The light screen turned on.

Tony looked up and started. Bruce was staggering, throwing himself into the large room.

"Jarvis, secure-"

"Yes sir, it is already done."

Bruce Hulked out.

Tony heard the roar through the speakers as the Other Guy beat the floor, jumped off the walls and punched everything.

He sighed again wearily. He walked slowly into the bedroom, retrieved some clothes and headed back to the lift.

When Tony walked into the glass box on the fourth floor, the Hulk turned, enraged tiny eyes focusing on him. He flew at the box, smashing and kicking, trying to break though. This was the same material as the cage on the Helicarrier, but with Stark-improvements. There was barely a crack as the Hulk pounded.

Tony placed the folded clothes neatly on the metal table. "For when you're calmer," he told the green force of rage.

The Hulk bellowed.

Tony pulled out his light pad, put his headphones in a vain effort to block out the hulks roars and started designing the cabin space of the new, Stark designed, AOTS Transport.

AOTS. Tony smirked slightly. He wondered how many people would get that.

Maybe an hour later, he saw out of the corner of his eye Bruce picking up the clothes. He kept his eyes fixed on the pad until the man was fully clothed and looking miserable. He held up the pad. "What do you think?"

Bruce gave him an odd look before taking it. "Nice," he said. "I like it." He zoomed in on a few features. "You've got a lot of safety stuff in here, for the Other Guy."

"Just in case."

"You help me without judgement, Tony. That's why you're my friend." Bruce was looking at him seriously.

Tony beamed. "I know I have a tendency to think everything is about me, which it is. But this _is_ about me, isn't it?"

"I'll help you without judgement."

"I don't need any help."

"I'm not sure about that."

"Bruce," Tony sighed. He rubbed his face. "I'm... Happy. For the first time in... well, really forever. It's not safe or smart or logical but it's... Me." Tony wasn't sure he was selling his case too well.

Bruce sat heavy down on the spare chair. "I don't know, Tony. Just don't... Leave me to find out like this. Talk to me."

"Okay. And we're done talking about this now," Tony said, not unkindly, but firmly.

"You don't think you're putting too much faith in... This design?" Bruce finished with a side long glance at Tony.

Tony shrugged. "It'll work."

"Can you be sure?"

"No. But sometimes, you just have to take that risk."

"But you're risking other people's lives."

"I don't see it like that. I'm not asking anyone to get on board the AOTS, and even if I was, I wouldn't if I didn't believe it was safe. When it comes down to it, Bruce, you just have to trust me." Tony looked carefully at the man. "So... What did you come for the Tower for in the first place?"

"What?" Bruce asked wearily. "Oh. Barton and-" he jerked, fumbling on the screen to find a clock. "Oh, damn. Barton and Natasha should be here now."

"_Oh_," Tony whined. "But it's the weekend."

"Sir-"

"Yeah yeah, let them in," Tony grumbled. "We'll meet them upstairs."

Bruce filled Tony in as much as he could on the way up in the lift. When they stepped out, Barton and Natasha were waiting, a heavy metal case sitting by Barton's feet.

Natasha's eyes roamed across the pair and asked, "Bruce, where are your shoes?"

"Er," Bruce said, stumbling as he tried to lie.

If the agents came to the conclusion that he had Hulked out, they didn't say anything.

Tony glanced sideways at Bruce and clapped his hands together. "So, Bruce tells me you brought me a new toy."

Natasha walked up and handed over the large case. "We think this is one of Doom's. Well... Doom's remodelling. Originally..."

Tony pulled out a missile. A Mark II Stark Industries Missile. Tony turned it over and over in his hands. Doom's clawed hands had been at work on it and it had been corrupted and bastardized.

"He's doing this deliberately," Natasha said kindly. "He's baiting you. Rubbing your face in your past."

Tony turned away without a glance. "I'm not ashamed of everything[L C A1] , you know. Fuck, look at me. Do I look like the _penitent hero_ to you? My weapons were wonders of technology. I'm proud of what I created."

Tony pushed aside the twisting in his stomach. His weapons had pushed the boundaries of science; he had done things people had called impossible. He had bent metal to fit his reality, rather than the world everyone else lived in.

Doom was whoring out his technology, converting it into this. Black metal warped around his missile like creepers digging into the spine of a rose bush. Poor thing.

"Where did you find it?"

"It was part of a barrage fired at the USS Impetueux which got too close to a Doom facility. This one didn't go off."

"Probably no trigger."

"Leaving one for you to find," Bruce said, quietly.

"Thought this would be one for the nerds," Barton chipped in with, what he probably assumed, was cheerful camaraderie. "See what Doom's up to this time."

Tony watched Bruce out the corner of his eye. The man was teetering, rocking on his feet, his mouth opening to form words then stopping. Tony knew he had to get the two agents out as soon as possible, because Bruce was still undecided. "Right then. Leave this with me. I'll give you a buzz if anything comes up."

Despite Tony's concerns, Bruce waited until the pair were safely gone. "Let's get to the lab."

Tony ran his fingers over the new, nasty metal on his missile. "Yeah, let's see what the bad man's done to the poor thing."

"My sentiments exactly," Bruce said with a hard look. "We're doing a medical."

"What? No! I want to play with my new toy!"

"Shut up, Tony and come on."

Tony grumbled all the way down to the lab, sat up onto the table which became their pseudo-gurney and muttered angrily as Bruce prepared a few things. "I'm fine."

"Good. Then this will be quick. Please take your shirt off."

Tony looked vaguely alarmed. "I'm going to be keeping the clothes on if you don't mind."

"Tony," Bruce said, half in exhaustion, half in annoyance. "I'm a medical professional."

"Buy me a drink first."

"Tony!"

Tony pulled his t-shirt off over his head and waited. In the end, at Bruce's quiet patience, he pulled his jeans off too. "Isn't there some sort of rule that says you can't play doctors and nurses with your friends?" Tony asked.

Bruce pulled out a stethoscope. "Actually, all it says is 'wherever possible, you should avoid providing medical care to anyone with whom you have a close personal relationship.' Wherever possible being our escape clause."

"Ah-huh, yeah, interesting – on another subject, where the fuck did you find a stethoscope in here?"

Bruce gave him a look as he rubbed the bell of the stethoscope on this arm. "I work here too, remember? I've been hoarding stuff here for months."

"Huh. Didn't notice."

"And now we know why," Bruce muttered. "This might be cold," he said, pressing the bell against Tony's chest.

Tony smirked, "Oh believe me, I'm good with that."

Bruce face fell into one of concentration. Tony, being Tony, got bored after half a minute. "So what's the conclusion? Do I have a heart?"

"Shh."

"Pepper always seemed to be looking for proof on that front. I was never sure what her conclusion was."

Bruce was silent for a minute longer, then sighed. He pulled away with a nod. "Your heart rate's sounding okay."

"Which, under the circumstances, is a bit of a marvel."

Tony jerked as Bruce moved around the table. Tony's mouth opened to protest, but forced himself to look straight ahead and remain silent. Because he had to show… this was not a guilty secret. This was Tony's private life. He was not ashamed or… he forced himself to say staring at the table in front of him.

He heard Bruce suck in a breath as he saw…

Bruce coughed. "I'm… I'm going to… check your lungs."

"Fine."

Tony felt the bell on his lower back. He felt a heat rising in his face and he closed his eyes as he imagined what Bruce must think. Then he pushed it out of his head with supreme effort. "You know, what I'm doing hurts no one but myself. When you give into your particular weakness, you destroy cities," Tony spat.

Bruce paused. "I know, Tony. Don't compare this to what I am. You're just lost. I'm a monster."

Tony felt his inner self curl up and die. "Look, I didn't mean-"

"I'm not attacking you, Tony. I'm not judging you. You don't need to get your… self-defence in first. I'm not doing anything but making sure you're safe."

"Why?"

"Because I care."

Tony gritted his teeth for the rest of the procedure to stop anymore unfortunate bouts of _Tony-ness._

Bruce pulled back, seemingly satisfied with what he'd heard. "Thank you."

_Please and thank you and so kind and correct._

Bruce took a blood sample. More tests were performed in silence, Tony avoiding any eye contact. When Bruce was finally done, Tony put his shirt back on quickly. He hated medicals at the best of times.

Bruce's eyes had caught his other scar and he had trembled green for a few long moments before finally getting a grip. Now Tony threw a nervous sideways glance at his friend. "So, what's the verdict?" Tony asked.

Bruce looked up from the console where the blood test had just come back. He pulled off his glasses and rubbed his eyes slightly. "You're... Healthy. Remarkably so. Your eye sight, hearing and reflexes have improved. Your immune system is in overdrive but with no apparent down sides. If the blood tests are to be believed, your liver must be almost new, you're... Really very well."

"Good."

"There is one thing."

"What?"

"There's a new... Something in your blood. It's like an anti-body, but not quite."

"Means nothing to me."

"Has he been injecting you with anything?"

Tony raised an eyebrow. "What exactly do you think we spend our time doing, Bruce?" he said dryly. "Neither of us has a medical fetish."

"Are you sure?" Bruce asked, ignoring the filth.

"I would have noticed. Why?"

"Your body is producing a new anti-body in your blood stream - one that humans don't have. That's why."

Tony shrugged. "Never felt better."

"Can I try something?"

"Sure."

Bruce walked over and, before Tony could object, cut his hand slightly with a scalpel. "Ow!"

"Don't be such a baby," Bruce said. He watched critically as white shone and the cut healed. "That'll be the point of them then."

"That hurt!"

"After everything he's done to you, I'm sure it didn't."

Tony looked at Bruce. Bruce was looking a little ashamed that he had said it, so Tony decided to leave things there. "So I'm healthy. Happy?"

"Far from it," Bruce muttered. "But... You're happy. You're healthy and from now on, you come to me. First. And not because I've walked in on you. Okay?"

"Yes mum."

Bruce was still looking miserable. "What does he think about all this?"

"All this…?"

"Now I know about you two."

Tony shrugged. "You'd have to ask him."

Bruce snorted a dark laugh, illustrating exactly what he thought of that idea.

"You want to help?" Tony asked. "Help me keep Natasha and Steve off my case. They're suspicious, but they're suspicious of Lockley. They haven't put two and two together."

"Tony, nobody could jump to this conclusion. Not even Natasha. I mean... since when could he shape-shift?"

Tony shrugged awkwardly. "You want his explanation? He doesn't shape shift like you turning into the Other Guy. He just manipulates our perception so we see what he wants us to see." He greeted Bruce's blank look with a shrug. "Don't ask me man. Magic."

"You want me to help-"

"Did you just say you would?" Tony asked.

Bruce looked away. "I... I won't tell them. It that's what you want."

"Good." Tony stood straightening his clothes. "Are we done?" Tony asked. Then, aware that he sounded like he wanted to get out of Bruce's company, he added, "You want to help me on the missile?"

"No."

Tony hated the idea of wrenching his time away from a new puzzle, but he didn't want to leave Bruce right now. "Maybe we could do something. Movie?"

Bruce shook his head, his mind clearly elsewhere. "Why do you let him hurt you?"

It was a question Tony had asked himself before, but out of a true desire to answer his friend properly, he mulled it again. "I've never really been afraid of pain."

"That's an answer?"

Tony shrugged, "Loki is an insane Nordic god. It excites me. Everything about it excites me. And it's not really the pain which excites me, it's the danger. I take on fighter jets and aliens in a metal suit a few inches thick. Have I ever struck you as a sane guy? I like risk."

Bruce looked miserable. Tony tilted his head, vaguely sympathetic and added, "Did you really think that I was going to settle down in the country with a soccer mum, three kids and a dog?"

Bruce shook his head, still frowning.

"I'm..." _Sorry. I'm not saying it. Bruce is great, but I don't belong to him or the Avengers. I don't even belong to Loki, no matter what he might think._ "I'm in desperate need of a drink. Come on, I know a great bar."


	39. Chapter 39: Mischief

Tony stumbled back to the tower a few hours later. Bruce had elected not to go back with him. He said he needed time to think.

_Fine. Be that way._

Tony pulled himself together. He didn't need to sit and sulk, did he? He had things to do. "Jarvis? Get Dumb to bring the missile back out and run a scan. Make sure there's no trip wire or any Doom booby traps."

"Sir, I've detected an unsteadiness in your gait."

"What?"

"Are you drunk, sir?"

"Tipsy. I'm fine to handle explosive material."

"I'll have the fire service on standby, sir."

"Basking in the faith, Jarvis."

A little while later, Tony was getting his tools together. In truth, he wasn't as wobbly as you'd expect. More tired than anything else. The missile rested on a stand, holding it above the table as the red wire-scan criss-crossed it.

It was mocking. Twisted and evil, Doom shitting on his creation.

"I don't detect anything unusual in the outer shell, but there is something blocking me from scanning the core."

"Well, that sounds like a trap."

"Yes sir."

"Let's open it up then."

"Yes, I thought you'd say that sir. Might I suggest using the robotic arms?"

Tony snorted. "You kidding? When I get their relative IQ above room temperature, I'll consider it." Tony stretched his arms and pulled out a tool.

"Sir, Loki is requesting you join him in the bedroom."

Tony paused. He looked back at the missile. "Jarvis... Tell him I'm sorry, but I'm working on this."

"Yes sir."

_Well, given that I'm already in for a beating._

Tony set about removing the casing very delicately. He revealed the inner working which equally hadn't been spared Doom's dark designs. He pulled the data chips, wiring and casing out carefully, trying to get to the payload, which, instead of an explosive seemed to be a little lead lined box.

Loki walked in. "I don't appreciate being passed up for one of your toys."

"Don't be such a drama queen," Tony said. "This is important."

Loki cocked his head. "Doom?"

"Yeah."

He sighed, "Why let the man disturb you so?"

"He's gunning for me. He's trying to fuck with me. No one gets to do that," Tony snapped.

Loki launched into a speech, about how Tony was his and Doom was just manipulating and Loki knew what he was talking about and blah blah blah.

"Ah-huh," Tony said, absently.

Tony kept half an ear on Loki, ready to prove he was listening if the god threw a tantrum, but he was learning to pay all due attention to his demanding god while actually getting on with what he was doing.

While Loki continued his little monologue _oh and he does love to monologue so _Tony carefully pulled out the little box in the innards of the missile, placing it on the table.

He examined it cautiously. There was definitely a seam running along the side of the black metal. Tony reached out but found his hand being seized in Loki's powerful grip.

"Don't."

"But I have to open it."

"Why?"

"Because I want to know what's inside."

"Why?"

"Because..."

_Tony Stark in action._ This is what got him into so much trouble, why he tried to provoke the Hulk, why he flew high into the ice beyond the point of no return, why he pushed everyone around him to breaking point just to see what happened.

"Because…. It's there." Tony glared at Loki and the box. Every instinct in his body told him to open it. "So what? I just keep it as a paperweight? Decorative centre piece?"

Loki bent down to look at the box. Tony sighed, a little huffily, and turned back to the bomb casing. There were marks of a tool on it, but nothing Tony recognized.

Loki hand moved out.

"Oh, so you can open it but I can't?"

"Hush child."

Tony watched as the lid opened. Explosives, a lethal chemical gas, a mysterious gem from a distance realm. Anything could be in there, but no. Victor really had no imagination. Loki pulled out the little USB.

"Why send it by FedEx," Tony said in a voice straight from the commercials, "when you can send it by rocket?" As Tony moved to take it, Loki's fist closed over it. "Hey! Mine!"

"This is mischief," Loki said quietly. His lips moved so they were gently brushing Tony's ear. "And the worst thing you can do to a trickster is to _ignore them_."

_And you should know._

"I want to see what's on there."

"Of course you do. And that's why he'll win every time."

Tony glared and forced Loki's hand open. Loki watched Tony upload the data with an almost pitying expression. That made Tony angry. His watched the lines of code streaming past as the computer.

"It's really heavily coded. It's going to take a while." He rubbed his head. "It's going to take a long while, because I can't risk putting this onto a networked terminal if it's a virus. And without the network, it's going to take days. Maybe weeks. Fuck."

"Then leave it be, for now. I have so much pain to inflict upon your body. Wouldn't you rather be doing that?"

"I can't believe it, but my answer is actually yes."

"You can't believe it? After all this time, after the number of times you've orgasmed from abuse alone, you still can't believe it?"

Tony smiled to himself. Then his face turned frowning again. "Bruce is… well, he's not happy. But he's going to keep our secret."

Loki didn't answer.

Tony turned to stare curiously, "You don't believe that, do you?"

Loki shrugged. "It is immaterial to me now. We're bound. Even the All Father himself will not be able to pull us apart. I do not fear the Avengers," he said with a slight sneer.

Tony rolled his shoulders wearily. "I want to play," he said.

Loki stepped forward and rubbed his hand down Tony's face. The god leaned in and took Tony's bottom lip in his teeth, biting with a little more force than was comfortable. Tony hissed delightedly, moving his hand to rub against Loki's groin, encouraging Loki's arousal.

Almost immediately, they were home, in the room with no escape. Tony didn't even wait for the instruction, pulling his clothes from his body. He handed them to Loki. "Could you bring my light pad back with you?" he asked.

Loki nodded as he disappeared.

Tony rubbed his neck. He felt tense and tired. He had spent long hours in the bar with Bruce talking and talking through everything. And once Bruce had got him talking it had been almost impossible to stop. It had taken a lot out of him and now he just wanted to feel for a bit. Not think. Just feel and look into those green eyes and know that no matter how high he felt he was flying, those eyes would anchor him to the world. That he could let go and fall, but still be pulled back.

The round bed stretched out in front of him invitingly, but he resisted the urge. He was playing the boy tonight and obeying the rules.

He had actually asked Loki, in so many words, _hey, what's up with a circular bed_? Loki's eyes had glittered nastily as he had explained with many Asgardian phrases. From what Tony had gathered, round beds were used in Asgard, but not in any _respectable_ home.

Basically, it's what you got in brothels. Not to put too fine a point on it, Tony was Loki's official whore. From what Tony could gather, having one in the domestic home was taboo, dark and dirty; something Loki was taking tremendous pleasure in.

It was an Asgardian thing.

_Like having a sex-swing in your living room._

It was probably also a rebel prince thing; to come from such a respectable, noble family. A lifetime of being quiet and courteous and a dutiful son, Loki was now going through his difficult years. You know, playing loud music, keeping a private sex pet, trying to take over the world, that sort of thing.

_We've all been there._

Tony honestly couldn't care less. A bed was a bed. And at this point, attempting to dispute the idea that he was Loki's sex pet was pretty pointless. It's not like Loki was the only one to have his dark and dirty fantasies.

Loki reappeared and placed the light pad carefully on the top of a cabinet. He looked over at Tony and gestured with his head. "Against the wall."

Tony walked over to the wall with the manacles and, with a moments hesitation, stood so he was facing it. He raised his arms as metal snaked down and grabbed his wrists. "Loki," he breathed.

Loki responded to the silent plea for a moment's comfort and hands stroked down his back, dropping down to squeeze his backside playfully. "You'll be punished for sending me away," Loki whispered. "You'll be punished and you'll enjoy every moment of it."

Tony smiled. "Come on then," he chided.

A gag was pushed into his mouth and fastened behind his head. The first strike came and he quickly tried to identify the implement. From the sting and the position, he figured it was a quirt. Something Loki had used on him before.

A quirt was something he had figured out from his own research, though it was probably in reality some Asgardian equivalent. It was a shorter, more flexible piece of leather than your usual crop. It was actually made of braided leather and had two wider pieces of leather at the end. From what Tony could gather (and, for that matter, feel) it made more noise than pain.

The snapping noise was there to make Tony shudder and writhe in the expectation of pain. Basically Loki was providing Tony with the setting; it was Tony's mind which was creating more of the pain and panic than was actually happening.

_Fuck I love him so much._

Now, that's not to say the whip didn't hurt like hell. He howled as he felt a slap of leather, a burning across his lower back and then a dull ache. He panted, preparing himself and howled again, his arms and back tensing, pulling him up and away, trying to escape the aching discomfort. Then as his mind readjusted, his whole body relaxed back ready for the next blow.

"Are you going to continue your bad behaviour?"

Tony grumbled something into his gag.

"Don't speak with your mouth full, boy."

Tony yelled into the gag as a strike caught his backside. He flew himself on to his tip toes and, gasping for air, managed to ease himself back down, hanging slightly in the chain.

"Leaving with that... thing... You didn't expect to avoid this pain, did you love?"

Tony felt dizzy as the pain took on a new pitch. Shouldn't he be frightened? Terrified that this insane god was going to kill him?

He wasn't.

"Try to deny that the man behind the beast has not engendered your glances more than once."

_What did he say?_

_He's saying that you've got a crush on Bruce._

Tony pulled himself back to consciousness enough to object half-heartedly through the gag.

"Shh. I am at fault, in part, for having awoken this slut within you. And I do not object as strenuously as you might imagine. However, if anyone other than myself ever touches you, I will make you watch as I kill them. Then I'll make you cum over their cold bodies. Do I make myself understood?"

_Fuck!_

Tony mumbled into the gag, but wasn't entirely sure what he was trying to say. Probably a cross between_ I love you too_ and _you fucking psycho_.

"That's right, my pet. Because you're mine, aren't you?"

Tony groaned as the boy sat up and begged for more punishment.

There was a big difference between Loki hitting him mercilessly until he was a gibbering, bleeding wretch hanging in chains and this long, drawn out pain. Loki had a skill, drawing out the agony until Tony could almost taste his suffering in the air.

The heavy panting, the tensing and relaxing muscles, the feeling of being stripped of control _fuck this is so good._

That was the trick Loki was teaching him, the right kind of pain was just another way of having sex and Tony was already stiff under the whipping.

Daydreams about Bruce or Pepper or Thor were all well and good, but fuck... who else in the world could ever make him feel like this? Why would he even want to cheat on Loki?

Tony shivered, wanting to the touched, teased, slapped and fucked. Images of sex flooded into this mind. Fingers ploughing in, stretching and taking. Loki fucking his mouth, cumming, turning him over and burying himself in Tony's ass.

"Bad boys don't gain climax until they have repented. Do you repent your bad behaviour?"

Tony stayed quiet.

He felt another, almost lazy strike and hissed. But the initial shock and pain was diminishing. He stood now, limply, shakily focused on his arousal and his need to be dominated. He jerked with a whimper at another blow, but the pain and pleasure were getting confused and he was falling into a haze of desire.

He felt the warm, unfortunately still clothed body of Loki pressed against his back. The god pulled the leather strap carefully and popped the ball out of his mouth.

"Have you learned your lesson?"

Tony licked his lips. "No."

"I didn't think so," Loki breathed and pulled the gag back on.

He returned to his spot and Tony felt a new rain of strikes beginning. He threw his head back, howling and wailing and begging for release - of what sort of release, he wasn't sure.

Maybe ten minutes later, Loki had finally finished. Tony could hear his sigh of pleasure as he surveyed his boy's red back, ass and thighs. He drew up a chair, just behind Tony and was sitting now. Tony could feel his eyes on him and he loved it. Even like this, Tony Stark: centre of everyone's attention.

Hung up on the wall like art. The beautiful boy captured by his god. Ganymede and Zeus hanging in the gallery. Tony hanging on this wall.

He was flying in a fog of lust and pain, his mind wandering blissfully. He was wrapped in strong arms; he was whimpering under cold lips... all his daydreams were spiralling in his head like shifting dyes in water. Being forced down, being fucked. Soft and hard. Biting. Scratching. Cumming.

"It's such a lovely little croon you make, my love," Loki whispered.

Tony pulled himself enough out of his revelry to realize he had been humming and whining gently. Even now, slight embarrassment rose hot in his cheeks, but he brushed it away. Because Loki had liked the noise, so that was okay.

"It's time to be taken, boy. Would you like me to let you down?"

Tony shook his head.

Loki slid oily fingers in and out and Tony's eyes widened, gasping, his body suddenly jerking out of the hazy revelry to go wild with desire.

_Switch me on and switch me off._

Loki was prodding now, insistently, his shaft sitting, just pressing at the brink. Tony shifted, shuddering, waiting as patiently as he could. But he whimpered his begging into his gag. The god's hands moved to pluck and pull Tony's nipples. Loki's hips moved, Tony jumped and grunted as Loki hit that spot.

"Go on," Loki whispered.

Tony shivered in annoyance and lust. He knew what Loki wanted and he spent a dark and nasty moment trying to convince himself to refuse. But knowing that Loki would always win only made Tony harder and more desperate. He forced his hips back, impaling himself as far as he could go, pulling away from the chains and wall.

He stopped, huffing loudly against the gag. He could see the position in his mind's eye, his arms held tight against the wall, his back arched back and hips held up. His legs spread and his cock bobbing in the air, it was a humiliatingly degrading position. It must have looked so desperate, so wanton.

Loki still wasn't moving, he was just standing there. Tony's back was stretched out in front of Loki, resplendent with the lash marks and the god was running his hands up and down. They ran up to Tony's shoulders and massaged gently.

Tony's body shuddered, holding the uncomfortable position, feeling the strain in his lower back and hips. Loki pushed him slightly. Tony slid away and gasped as he impaled himself once more.

"You've got the idea now, pet."

Embarrassment pushed aside in his yearning, Tony's pelvis moved hurriedly, pulling him on and off the stationary cock so wantonly. His own grunts and yowls filled his ears and made him cringe, but at this point the Hulk himself couldn't have stopped Tony he was racing forward, his vision narrowing, his huffing loud, his grunting desperate.

Loki reached around, holding Tony in a lazy grasp, not stroking, just creating a fist for Tony to pump into. Tony cursed Loki for making him do this, cursed himself for not being able to stop.

Loki's whispers cut through Tony's animosity, "You're doing so well, boy. That's it... That's it you beautiful creature."

Tony's eyes rolled back, his body tensing as he felt his balls clenching. His toes were curling.

He came screaming into his gag, his eyes wide, his body spasming, he would have fallen down if it hadn't been for Loki's hands holding his hips up.

"That's a good boy," Loki breathed as Tony's cum dripped down the wall.

Tony finally managed to put his weight back onto his feet. He blinked, swaying slightly. Loki was still hard. The boy whimpered as Loki's hands stroked his sides.

Loki untied him and supported him over to the bed, pushing him into the soft pillows and blankets. The pulled the gag from between Tony's teeth and kissed him hard. "Have you learnt your lesson?"

Tony smiled, "I've forgotten what it was."

Loki slapped him hard, with a small smile. "Never have I had a creature that has made me work so hard."

Tony sighed and started as the sound came out as almost a purr. Loki's eyes fluttered at the sound, his mouth opening slightly. He fell on Tony's neck, kissing and licking and biting.

"Hands and knees, boy."

_No protests today. Just a good little boy who doesn't want to think._

Tony hauled himself up into a doggie position and Loki was mounting him in seconds. After a few peremptory thrusts, Loki settled into an easy rhythm which Tony judged was going to be going on for some time. He jumped as a cock was suddenly prodding at his lips. A clone was demanding entrance and Tony eagerly sucked.

He'd never get used to this, not if he lived for a hundred years would he get used to Loki taking him roughly from behind while plunging in and out of his mouth.

It was too much, too weird, too wrong.

"Happy, boy?"

Tony hummed in agreement, working his hips back into Loki's insistent thrusting. The cock pulled out and Tony licked his lips, waiting for it to return.

"And what lesson are we supposed to be learning from this?" Loki asked. There was a warning in his tone. No obedience, no cock.

Tony grumbled internally. "I won't send you away in favour of Bruce," he muttered angrily.

The cock pushed back in and made Tony momentarily gag. "That's right boy."

Tony rocked back and forth between the two demanding Loki's, doing his best to please, letting his mind relax as he focused on Loki. Loki hissed slightly. Tony knew the sound so well and got ready. He jumped in surprise as a hand held him tight and the god came in his mouth.

He swallowed and pulled away gasping. He turned round quickly to find he was alone on the bed. He looked back up into Loki's smiling face.

Tony returned the smile and laughed. "When the fuck did you switch?" he asked in delight.

Loki laughed too and leaned in; kissing Tony's slightly swollen lips. "When I took you down off the wall," he said.

"You sneaky bastard."

Loki nodded, "Thank you."

He rubbed Tony's hair like a good pet. He walked away for a moment and returned with Tony's light pad. Loki turned Tony onto his side, wrapping the covers around him as they spooned and passed him his light pad.

"Here," he said. "It will keep you quiet while I sleep."

Tony rolled his eyes at Loki's patronizing tone, but relaxed into the tight embrace and started tapping on the screen as Loki closed his eyes.


	40. Chapter 40: Liar

Zombies.

More or less.

As word reached the other realms that Midgard had a Bifrost and presented an easier option to conquer than Asgard, evil intentions were beginning against Earth. Or that's how Thor described it.

As though fucking Doom and the ever lingering threat of Thanos wasn't enough, there was also getting what could only be described as miscellaneous baddies.

Currently, the Avengers were fighting an army from Niflhel in the streets of London. An army which seemed to be made up of half dead looking humanoids. Tony didn't care to spend too much time examining them before he shot one closing in on Steve with a laser.

"Thirty-seven, Point Break."

"Ha! Tony, you are not on form!" Thor laughed as he swung his Hammer around in a large arch knocking three down. "Forty-four!"

Tony pulled a face, invisible behind the mask, and shot up into the sky to see what damage he could cause elsewhere. But it was true, his mind wasn't really in it today.

Tony and Loki had spent a good three days thrashing around in the bed after the punishment for leaving with Bruce had been meted out. Then, of course, Tony had been summoned back to SHIELD. The binding had made things deeper, more passionate. Loki just hadn't been able to stop experimenting on his helpless but eager boy and Tony was a willing test subject.

_Shouldn't there be more to a relationship than sex?_

_Does there need to be?_

_Good point._

Now Tony was trying to fight a battle after Loki had completely thrown him off his game with his petting him and whispering sweet nothings. He still managed to take down half a dozen in one go with a well-placed rocket.

_That's not to say I don't lo… need him. The sex is just too damn good. Why bother to walk in the moon light when you could be having sex on the beach?_

The Hulk, who had been nearby when the rocket exploded, looked up at the sky. Beady eyes fixed on the red and gold suited figure. He roared and threw a double decker London bus from his gigantic hand straight at Tony.

Tony swore and ducked it. "Hey!" He yelled.

That seemed to be it, though, as the lumbering mass of green turned his attention back to bringing his fist down on zombies like a game of Whack-A-Mole. Friendly fire during battle with the Hulk wasn't unusual - just ask Thor who tended to get the brunt of it.

But given recent circumstances, Tony had to wonder; just how much had he angered his friend?

As usual, Tony hadn't thought… not _really_ thought what was going to happen when his friends started to find out. Keeping it from them all had been... Fun. A joke. Yet another way that Tony was superior to everyone else.

Now he was getting worried.

_Natasha will think I'm an idiot._

_Barton will be furious._

_Thor will be furious._

_Steve… Steve would probably need it explained once or twice before he gets his head around it. Then he'll be livid._

"Tony, they've got some sort of launcher. It's tearing up the buildings. Can you take it down?" Natasha called.

"The big ugly thing by the Thames? On it."

Tony swooped down, preparing the largest missile he had. It flew out, spiralling in lazy circles until it hit. The explosion was rather enthusiastic, imploding and then shattering in a fireball of purple.

_They won't find out. Bruce will keep this a secret because he doesn't want to risk losing my friendship. The only way they'll find out is if we're stupid enough to get caught again._

Tony took off, taking the opportunity to do a few circles around Big Ben - he'd always wanted to do that.

_Or someone tells them…_

Loki didn't care now. Apparently. In fact, Tony was beginning to wonder if Loki wasn't ready to get the secret out in the open. If SHIELD reacted badly, if they kicked Tony out… well, that would only mean more time for sex as far as Loki was concerned.

_Fuck._

"Tony!"

Tony woke up and turned back to his team.

"Thor's pinned!"

"Pinned by what?" Tony asked distractedly. Then he saw. Pinned by the ten tonne lump of cement.

Ouch.

"Where's Mean and Green?"

"He's on his way - keep them off of him!" Steve yelled. He was taking the west side of the street; Tony hovered over the east, picking off any alien soldiers who got too close to the prone Thor.

The big green landed heavily next to the debris and wrenched off the concrete slab. Thor looked dazed and bleeding, but still in one piece. _Gods._ What exactly would Tony have to do to put a dent in Loki if it came to it?

_Why am I even thinking that?_

_Because love's all well and good, but I'm Tony Stark. And I'm always a step ahead. Just in case._

_Gotcha._

"You okay man?" Tony called.

Thor didn't answer but raised a hand in confirmation. Tony took off; his head finally back in the game. A combination of lasers, missiles and just good old fashioned fisticuffs, okay, _fisticuffs_ _while wearing a metal gantlet which could be described as cheating. _Tony was really making a dent in the army.

Until, oh a blow to his pride, he was shot down by some sort of hand held rocket launcher. Only it launched shards of... something. Long slender pieces of smoking grey material that had the consistency of bone.

By the purest bad luck it caught a major power point in his suit, driving in through the metal like it was tissue paper and he dropped from the sky. He handed heavily on a road, bouncing along until he finally came to a metal crunching stop.

His systems were going haywire, his head was spinning and, worrying, he felt a sharp pain in his side. The shard of whatever had really gone straight through the suit and was now half buried in his right shoulder. Not deep enough to hit anything major, but enough that if he didn't get a move on he was going to bleed out where he lay. He resisted the urge to just yank the thing out.

He looked up at the grey sky, willing himself to move but his body objected out of pain and shock.

_Great. It's probably going to rain on top of everything else._

Creatures appeared around him, raising weapons seemingly made out of the same shards. He rolled quickly and stood as a blade came down and dodged backwards as one swiped at his chest.

He backed away.

"Guys! Little help?" he called. But he knew nothing was getting through. His communication was down. "Fuck," he muttered bitterly.

He directed a couple of tiny bolts at the nearest solider and it dropped. That made the others pause, but it wouldn't be for long. Tony glanced over his shoulder. He was running out of road here. And he had lost his bearings in the fall - he couldn't remember which direction his friends were.

"Fuck," he said again. He turned back to the incoming alien-soldiers. "Can I just ask what the hell this stuff is, in my shoulder and on your blade - yeah, that. That thing you're waving around there. What is it?"

The creatures looked at him in confusion.

"You speaky English?" Tony asked slowly.

"They don't speak at all, Tony. They are merely the mindless foot soldiers."

The silky voice poured through him. Tony started and looked around. Loki was standing against a lamppost, his legs and arms crossed. It was the most welcome, the most glorious, the most sexy sight Tony had ever seen.

"Hell of a time not to bring your glow stick, Reindeer Games," he croaked, trying to force down his smile. "What are you doing here?"

Loki shimmered, taking on his Jotun form. He walked at the alien zombies calmly who were suddenly nervous. They backed away, clearly intimidated. Loki said something in an alien tongue and Tony felt his mind melt at the sound. He could have been asking directions to the bathroom, Tony didn't care. It was so beautiful.

The twelve or so creatures turned and fled.

"Well, impressive, I suppose," Tony said. "You in league with this lot?" he asked accusingly.

"They hate Midgardians, Asgardians... the majority of the other realms. But the Jotun they respect... and fear. Their land was once ruled by an ice giant and their people have long memories."

Loki turned, his smug look dropping as he saw the shard in Tony's shoulder. There seemed to be a long moment as he stared at it. His eyes snapped up to stare at Tony's mask. "Do you feel cold?"

Tony frowned. Now Loki had mentioned it... but his suit had been breached so he hadn't considered... "And dizzy. Duh. I fell out of the sky, diva."

Maybe it was being outside. In the middle of a full scale battle. Tony wasn't slipping into _boy_ as quickly as he otherwise would. In his suit, in front of Loki, for the first time since the Bifröst incident.

_I am the Iron Man._

"I do not have time for such banter." Loki strode forward, reaching for him.

Tony threw out an arm, knocking the insane god's hand away and raising his gloves. About now, they should be buzzing with the power of thrusters that would normally be enough to launch him off the ground or burn a man's face off.

They were quiet. Tony tried again and again, but the last scrap of power had gone and all he was now a man in a metal tux.

"Wings broken, friendless, defenceless and dying. Boy, I have no intention of leaving you here. You can come with me willingly, or I will drag you away."

"Tony!"

They turned to see Steve, Natasha and Thor running at them. Loki's staff appeared out of nowhere as he snatched an arrow out of midair. Barton really never got tired of trying, did he?

Loki rolled his eyes, "And now I give you have no liberty to choose," he growled.

Loki raised the gold staff, pointing at Thor.

"No!" Tony dived forward knocking his hand. The bolt of blue missed. Barely.

The next moment passed too quickly for Tony. Loki's arm reached out and grabbed him as he stumbled and fell. His staff aimed again and let off another bolt, this time at Steve as Thor let his hammer fly straight at Loki's head.

xxx

Tony was cold. He turned over in the bed, curling up into a foetal position, dimly aware his body was shaking.

It was achingly cold, wracking his body. The muscles in his body ached. He was trapped in that biting cold which made your chest sore, your eyes water and your skin sting.

When it gets so cold you can't remember what warm feels like.

As he pulled his arms around his chest, he only then realised he wasn't in his suit anymore. That panicked him more than the chill. Stripped of his power, his strength, this cold had poured in almost corresponding to the removal of the Iron Man.

Tony opened his eyes carefully and tried to sit up, wincing as every muscle screamed its objections. He felt like he had been put through a blender.

_Except, if I had, at least I'd be dead and not feeling like I'd been put through a blender._

Various thoughts in a similar pointless veins coiled around his head for a long time before he registered the fact he was home.

Not the Tower. Home.

"I'm going to kill him." he muttered thickly. He shuddered, the cold making him feel sick.

He saw the scene again and again, that last bolt flying directly at Steve. Tony felt the rising panic in his chest, but true to Stark form, not a sign of it showed in his face.

"I'm going to kill him," he repeated, with a little more force this time.

He pushed himself up stiffly, his anger driving him and managed to get back on his feet. For the first time in this room, he was clothed. It was some sort of woollen material; a simple t-shirt and trousers dyed black.

There was a blazing fire in the room and that fact surprised Tony as he watched the leaping, dancing flames. He moved a little closer. It was like… an illusion. He could hear the fire, smell the scent of burning wood, but as he reached his hands out, he felt nothing but biting cold.

Tony looked up at a slight noise and Loki was standing by the bed. "I beg pardon, my love. I had hoped to be back before you awoke, but matters prevented me."

"Too cheap for central heating?" Tony snapped, his body still shaking in the cold.

He never remembered their home being this cold. He had never remembered being so cold. Even when Loki took him in his ice form… well, that was cold, obviously. But the glory of it meant that Tony barely noticed the pain of ice.

Now it was all he could think about.

Loki's eyes were examining him possessively. "You'll be cold for a little longer I fear. The shard went deep." He reached out and tried to push him back into the bed.

"Get your hands off of me," Tony spat.

Loki paused, his green eyes fixing on hazel ones. Loki's eyes softened slightly, "Thor is unharmed. The Captain is unharmed. My only concern was leaving with you."

_He saved me._

"How fucking dare you attack my friends," Tony said, trying to sound harsh. Knowing his voice was distorted by the shuddering.

Loki cocked his head, a small smile playing across his lips. "Excuse me, dear Captain. But my boy here is seriously injured. I am going to take him back to our secret home to heal him and make him cum."

"Oh, bravo. You should consider Masterpiece Theatre. Fine, fine, I get it." Tony relented somewhat, but knew he still wouldn't be content until he saw them all minus glow-stick wounds.

"Come here." Loki dragged his boy into the bed, wrapping his warm body around him. "You are well on the way to recovery, but you only lengthen that time by this petulant behaviour."

"Go to hell," Tony muttered. "Probably warmer there," he added bitterly.

"There are many ways I could warm you."

"Vodka?"

Loki chuckled and to Tony surprise, a hip-flask appeared in front of his face. "Whiskey."

"That'll do," Tony said, quickly unscrewing it and gulping it down. Then he paused, staring at his hand. "My skin is grey." He wasn't as alarmed as he might be, with Loki pressed so firmly against him it was difficult to feel afraid.

"It has improved; it was white yesterday. By tomorrow, you'll be recovered."

"Yesterday? Fuck. Do I want to know?"

"Language, Tony. You've only been here two days."

"If I start getting a hankering for brains, I'm blaming you."

"I am exceptionally impressed with myself," Loki said musingly. "Even Asgardians take time to heal after being infected by the shards of the Niflhel. My healing magic is far more adept than I ever realised."

Tony glared at the ceiling. "Maybe I'm just stronger than you were expecting. Maybe _I'm_ the impressive one."

"No, I'm fairly confident it was my arcane abilities," Loki said sneeringly.

"You're such a fucking dick sometimes."

Loki shifted against him again, laughing in his ear, running his hand up and down the rippling muscles of Tony's stomach. The message was unmistakable. Loki was 'pressing his intentions'.

"Not in the mood," Tony lied.

"Shh, of course you are," Loki said. Loki was working his magic – magic of a very different type - on Tony's weakened body. Wet lips and warm hands pushed their way under his shirt. Tony just stared at the ceiling, letting himself be loved.

_How were they going to spin this? How was he going to go back? It would have to be in a body bag for anything to be believed._

"Stop thinking, Tony," Loki said, stripping Tony's clothes delicately.

_What was Bruce telling them right now?_

"Burden of being a genius, I can't switch it off."

Then Loki apparently found the off switch.

Tony arched slightly as the man swallowed him to the root. "Son of a-" Tony hissed through gritted teeth. Then he released a long sigh as the tension in his body finally let go. His concern for his friends, his anger with Loki for messing things up all gone in the face of Loki's care.

Tony whimpered at the sensation. Wet lips created a seal around his shaft and sucked hard, the tongue fluttering over the sensitive tip. Such a cruel mouth which could build you up or destroy you with a just word, and so gentle and soft it made Tony almost giddy for joy.

Tony's legs were pulling up involuntarily as he lost himself in the sensation. He felt Loki pushing his knees back down on the bed to get better access. His vision was narrowing, until he couldn't focus on anything, blind to everything.

Tony's hips rose and fell, meeting Loki's attentions. The pulsing in his cock and balls was becoming unbearable. "Loki!"

Tony thrashed and bucked and wailed without care. Loki held him still until Tony had finally come back down from the high, panting and grabbing Loki's shoulders as an anchor to reality.

"Loki…"

"I'm here, Tony. Just close your eyes."

"I'm cold." It felt like decay.

"The shard had done its damage even before I had reached you. But I saved you, my little pet. The binding and the magic all playing their part."

"Fucking zombies."

"Indeed."

"How am I supposed to explain-"

"Shh my little kidnap victim. How likely is it that anyone would view my attacking the Avengers and whisking their companion away as a sure indication of a sexual relationship?"

_Good point._

"Don't say kidnapped. _Children_ are kidnapped."

"And your point, boy?" Loki laughed gently, stroking Tony's hair back out of his face. "And after all, what's there to fear? Everyone knows a playboy, egocentric billionaire does not get on his knees to suck a god."

"Exactly," Tony said. "And yet..."

"And yet. You should know I have always seen it as a tremendous compliment that I inspire such love and adoration on your part."

"Only a bit."

"No, you worship me, so much so."

"Only the regular amount," Tony said, secretly delighting in Loki's wearisome sigh.

"Go to sleep, love. We'll deal with your return in the morning."

xxx

The next day as Loki had promised, the blinding chill was gone and his skin was finally its usual honey glow tone.

Now Loki watched in palpable disapproval as Tony pulled on his under-suit. He couldn't put his suit back on as that needed the mechanical arms. But even just donning the black, divers type suit seemed to rile Loki.

"What?" Tony demanded as the glare finally got on his nerves.

Loki shrugged.

Tony muttered a bad word. "So... Maybe you should punch me in the face or something."

"Don't tempt me."

"If we were still enemies, you would have hit me."

"I have a plan, Tony. One which doesn't require you to return in pieces."

"Which is?"

Loki smirked cockily, "If we were still enemies, I wouldn't tell you." He stood, fixing his long coat fussily and walked over and held Tony's shoulder.

The temperature change was sudden; there was all around him a scorching heat. The air was dry and sandy. Tony blinked in the sun, his eyes adjusting slowly and he wished like hell he had his sunglasses.

He raised an arm to shield his eyes and looked around. "Why are we in a desert?"

"Events must, in their time and place, come full circle."

"What?"

"Never mind, Tony."

They seemed to be just off a rundown town. There was a main street, shops, a diner, a petrol station... an incongruous pet shop for some reason, but not much else. The stillness was telling; this place was defiantly abandoned.

Tony glanced at Loki. "Let's find a bar; I'm burning up out here."

"Come on," Loki led him to a derelict diner.

The whole town seemed dead. Nothing was working, no one was around... Metaphysical tumbling weeds crossed the scene. Though given the setting, Tony wouldn't have been surprised if really tumbling weeds appeared.

There did seem to be a lot of damage about the place. Shattered cars, walls and windows. A lamp post was bent in the middle as though something had hit it. The large window of the diner was smashed in.

"What happened to this place?"

"I believe the residents must have moved away after the attack."

"What attack?"

Loki sat in a booth, dusting it fastidiously with a hand first and looked at Tony innocently. "I honestly have no idea."

"Ha. Yeah right," Tony muttered darkly. _Always beware when that man looks 'innocent'_. "I need a drink."

"No."

"Water," Tony groaned. "W. A. T. E. R. With your permission, my god." Tony found a bottle in a broken fridge and downed it, grimacing slightly. "It's warm."

"Is there no end to your complaints?"

"Oh look who's talking!"

Loki's ears seemed to prick up and he stood. "Masterpiece Theatre," he said, almost idly. Then in one movement, Loki lifted Tony by the neck and threw him across the room.

_Is it weird to be in a relationship where this doesn't at all surprise me?_

As Tony hit the far wall, he heard the thunderous bellow of, "Loki!"

Tony scrabbled to his feet as Thor landed in the diner, his hammer raised to Loki. Loki chuckled, raising his hands. "Forgive me, but the mortal is infuriating."

"I will make you pay for this!"

Loki looked confused, "Pay for what?"

"You attacked my comrades, you abducted the Iron Man!"

"Don't say abducting," Tony groaned. "Princesses get abducted. I was…"

"Kidnapped?" Loki suggested with a small smile.

"Shut the fuck up, you."

Thor moved, circling Loki until he was by Tony's side. "Tony, are you alright?"

"Unharmed and alive. As I promised you in my message." Loki smiled viciously. "And might I add, entirely thanks to my magic, otherwise the shard would have killed him."

"Shard? The Nilfhim Hoard... Are you alright, my friend?" Thor's large, trusting eyes rested on Tony. "The shards of the Hoards kill-"

"Without healing intervention," Loki reiterated finished with a smirk.

"Just get me the fuck out of here," Tony said angrily.

Thor seemed to be looking Tony over. He turned back to his younger brother. "Your manner of aid is beyond me, Loki. You could have just told me that he had been infected."

Loki smiled again, obviously enjoying this immensely. "Would you have believed me? Before I would have convinced you he'd have been too far gone to save."

"And that would have mattered to you?" Thor asked incredulously.

Loki pressed a hand against his chest theatrically. "Why, of course! The Man of Iron? Such a man cannot be left to die in the cold ashes of Niflhel." Then Loki laughed his cold, wicked chuckle. "And I lose the chance to redeem my character in Odin's eyes?"

Thor's eyes narrow and his voice lowered in anger. "So that is it. You wish for pardon from the All Father."

"I am tired of running."

"Then you will return to Asgard?"

"For my pardon. Not to stay."

Thor was getting worked up in the face of Loki's certainty. "He will not allow you to walk free; you will be confined to the palace. You will be lucky to avoid a cell!"

"Perhaps," Loki said. He smiled, his tone contemplative, "I am truly in a wonderful position. I have finally seen my way clear to forgiving Odin for his lies and you for your thuggish arrogance. I am so much more; I _have_ so much more now. And I have... what is the expression your delightful Midgardian pets use? I have _played my cards_ perfectly. If I get confined to the halls of Asgard, or as you say, a cell, I will be handed by King Odin himself that which I desire most. The laws will insist it be so. If Odin allows me free, then I can remain with my prize on Midgard without the fear of being removed ever again. Either way, I win."

"Speak sense!" Thor demanded.

Tony cringed, but Loki laughed. "Oh brother, you always were so easy to exasperate."

Thor opened his mouth but paused. "Brother?" he said. You could almost feel the hope and joy in two little syllables.

To Tony's surprise, Loki looked away quickly. He actually seemed embarrassed. "A mere slip of the tongue."

The truth or an act? How could you ever be sure?

Either way, it had the effect of turning Thor far more conciliatory.

"Loki," Thor said again, "You must tell me what happened to cause such a change of heart."

"I was tortured for a year," Loki spat. He looked up with pain filled eyes. "A year, Thor! I... reassessed what was important to me."

"Then you will return to your status as Prince of Asgard, my brother and advisor?"

_Clever Thor_ Tony realised. Trying to force an admission from Loki that he would no longer vie for the throne. Of course, Tony would put money on the next thing that Loki said would be a lie, but all credit to Point Break for trying.

Loki eyes glittered. "I have no intentions of gaining the throne."

"You lie?" Thor asked.

Loki shrugged. "Probably. But for now, I wish to regain my former position."

Thor gestured around the town. Tony couldn't say why, but Thor seemed familiar with the place. "Why here of all places?"

"It seemed appropriate."

Thor smiled. "I will never understand you, Loki. But I valued our friendship. I loved you. I wish that we may love and trust each other once more."

"In time. Perhaps," Loki responded quietly.

_Liar._

There was a long silence. Tony raised a hand. "Excuse me? Still here. Family reconciliations being just charming and all, I want to get back to my tower." Tony walked up to Thor. "You're not going to believe this load of shit, are you?"

Thor glared. "This has nothing to do with you Tony."

"You know what, couldn't agree with you more. Only thing is, he fucking brought me here!" Tony pointed out.

"And saved your life."

_Oh here we go. Fucking moron._

"What kind of sucker are you? He did that out of his own selfish motives!"

"The All Father may give his judgement today, but my brother will be my responsibility long after the All Father has passed and I have ascended to the throne. And I would rather he stand by my side than rot in a cell for all time."

"Well whoopty-damn-do for you, but SHIELD won't like it."

"I will assure SHIELD that Loki was suitably punished for his crimes against Midgard. You did not see the injuries he had from the realm of Thanos. I did. He was punished enough. And since then, he has not threatened the world and saved you."

"Whoopty-damn-do?" Loki muttered like he was mulling over the expression. He stood, serene and calm as Tony and Thor argued.

_The bastard has style._

"Sure he saved me, he didn't want his little-" Tony almost bit through his tongue with the effort of halting his runaway mouth.

"He what?"

_He didn't want his little toy damaged._

"He threw me out the tower, Thor. He reasoned that if he could save me it would look noble, selfless. It-" Tony stopped and threw his hands up. "Fine. Believe him if you want. It's all lies. And don't come crying to me when he stabs you in the back. Can I get out of here now?"

And just like flicking a switch, Loki gets Thor on side like nothing had happened. Was that a testament to Loki's artfulness or Thor's stupidity?

Tony loved his god, but he was well aware of the man's failings. He wanted Loki to have what he wanted and what he wanted was Asgard, apparently.

But Tony also cared for Thor. Tony's loyalties to Thor had existed long before he had ever cast doe eyes on the warrior's adopted brother.

All in all, there was only one stable and unbending thought Tony could cling to. "I need a fucking drink."

Loki stepped forward. "I will bring us all to Stark Tower. Then Thor, take me to the All Father."

Thor, finally engaging his brain, had the sense to raise a hand. "My brother, please give me your staff."

Loki looked vaguely impressed that Thor had been sensible enough not to trust him so far. The glittering gold staff appeared and was dutifully handed over.

"Is that thing snappable?" Tony asked curiously and gained a sharp glare from Loki.

Loki placed a hand on both Thor and Tony. There was that blackness and the sensation of being turned inside out. Tony opened his eyes and found himself back in Stark Tower. "Thank fuck for that," he muttered bitterly.

Unsurprisingly, he found his feet leading him directly to the bar. "Are you going?" he asked the pair.

"We must not delay," Thor said.

"I want a word with him first," Tony said, nodding at Loki over his large glass of double, double scotch.

Loki snorted softly and ignored him.

"Brother," Thor said warning.

"I have no desire to speak further with the creature. Three days was more than enough."

_Give the man his Oscar._

It frustrated Tony that Loki could slip so easily in and out of character. How could you ever be sure of what he really was?

Thor's voice became warning. "And if I inform the All Father of such sentiments?"

Loki rolled his eyes and muttered wearily, "Of course, _brother_, of course." He waltzed over as though he were humouring the mere mortal.

_Self-satisfied smug sexy pyscho bastard._

Tony lowered his voice when he was close enough, keeping his face as blank as he could. "Do the Zombies have a Bifrost?"

"The Niflhel Hoard. No."

"Are they magical?"

"In the sense you speak of? No."

"Then how the fuck did they get here?" Tony asked harshly. He looked at Loki with piercing eyes.

Loki opened his mouth, his smug, still sexy mouth but didn't have a chance to speak before Tony cut him off. "Whatever you're about to say is a lie. How? How the fuck did they get to Earth?"

Loki looked back with brilliantly green eyes. Eyes so bright. In that moment, Loki looked younger than Tony. Loki realised Tony knew and said softly, "I did not expect you to be so stupid as to get hit. I had hoped it would be one of your colleagues."

"You mother fucker."

"I found you. I saved you."

"You said the Zombies respected you because they were once-"

"That was not a lie. But it was not the whole truth."

"Get the fuck out of here and don't come back. We're over."

"If I did as you ask, you would wither and die. If Odin does not grant my freedom to traverse the realms, there will be an Asgardian Guard here in six days to bring you to me, whether you want to go or not. It is a crime to allow the death of a Thrall, a crime Odin will not permit. After all, I am still a member of the Royal family. King Odin cannot allow such a taboo crime to be committed by his own _son_," Loki spat the word like something foul. The he composed himself, dropping his voice lower, "See you in six days, whether it be here or there. Six days, my darling boy."


	41. Chapter 41: Safeword

**A/N: I wanted to say a big thank you to LadyLoops for proof reading the first forty chapters of 'Lessons from a God'. So many appalling spelling mistakes, I can't believe you've all been so kind and not complained! I'm in the process of updating all the chapters. I've so far done 1-20 and hope to do the second half before the end of the month.**

"Tony, get down!"

"What?"

Tony was thrown against the wall of the Helicarrier training room by what looked like a container box. It felt like a juggernaut.

"Armour strength at 85%," Jarvis said as Tony stood wobbly.

Natasha was already in front of him. "What's gotten into you today?" she demanded. "Training's not supposed to be lethal."

"I'm not the one who threw it!" Tony said angrily. He looked over at the culprit and raised a hand acknowledgingly. "Nice aim, Green Dude."

_Again! For fucks sake Bruce, who cares who I'm screwing!_

"I'm sure Bruce will find it just as funny when he's back," Natasha said sharply.

That made Tony's heart fall a bit. "I wasn't paying attention."

"You haven't been paying attention all day," Barton said dryly.

_Because my joints are sore, my muscles hurt, I've been wearing my heavy sunglasses for the last two days; not because they're cool, though they are, but because any light gives me a migraine. I can't hold any food down, I'm thirsty all the time but can't swallow and I feel like there are a thousand spiders under my skin._

_Oh, and I've just been flattened by a weapons container. Other than that, I'm just peachy, thanks for asking._

Loki wasn't in this realm and after the binding, that simple fact apparently spelt bad news for Tony. The withering. It was the morning of day six and there was still no sign of his return.

_Shattered bones, scars, being thrown against walls, turned into a zombie, the crossing to Asgard… no amount of divine sex is worth this._

Absence makes the heart grow fonder, they say. Six days separated from Loki and the anger at him for bringing the zombie hoard here had turned into no more than a petty grumble as more pressing trepidations had overwhelmed him.

Make no mistake; he was still livid, but he needed Loki back more than he needed to yell at him for what he had done.

Only now was Tony beginning to realise what this pja ey, enthralling business was all about. This leash meant that Tony could hate Loki as much as he wanted; he still needed the god to survive.

_Loki..._

"Alright," Steve said. "Let's take that from the beginning. We can't afford to mess around in training anymore."

Tony raised a hand. "Sir, I forgot my gym kit."

"Very funny Tony."

"Thor," Barton said.

They turned to see the god walking in, wearing his usual uniform and a calm, pleasant expression. He seemed in a good mood, better than Tony had been expecting at any rate. Tony's heart leapt. _What does that mean?_

"Forgive my lateness, friends."

"What did Odin say about Loki?" Steve asked sharply.

Thor looked dumbfounded. He turned sharply to Tony.

"Oops," Tony said, "was it supposed to be a secret?"

"You can't keep secrets like that from us, Thor," Natasha said.

"Apparently not," he said gruffly, glowering at Tony. "The All Father has pardoned Loki of his crimes against Asgard and Midgard."

Nobody in the room was pleased about that. Tony found himself as angry as he was relieved.

"He can't pardon Loki for his crimes against us," Barton insisted. "He's not our King."

"He is the All Father" Thor said, as though this was the answer to everything. "And Loki has more than suffered for his crimes. He has not attempted any chaos against the realms since his return from Thanos' realm."

_Ha! Like fuck he has._"He even saved Tony's life."

"That doesn't forgive the fact he kept him prisoner for three days," Steve pointed out. "And let him go."

"Hey!" Tony said indignity.

Steve gave a small smile and added, "Besides, he only did it to look good. It was a blatant political move. If he hadn't thought it would get him back in with King Odin, he wouldn't have bothered. That's not something to praise."

Barton was getting heated. "So that's it, he's free to roam?"

"No, he has been confined to Asgard."

"Fuck" Tony muttered.

Barton misunderstood Tony's exclamation. "He turned me into a slave and threw Tony out of the tower. Why didn't we get a say in his trial? He killed Coulson!"

_He killed Coulson._

Tony shuddered. It was a fact that he had long ago decided not to think about.

_He's not perfect, but if he's not back soon I'm going to die._

"It is done, my friends. Leave it be, I beg," Thor said. "I have my brother back, a man who was never inherently evil. There has been some great force in his life of late which has turned him back into the man I once knew. Can we not leave it at that?"

Tony caught Thor by the elbow. He almost pulled up his visor but remembered in time that it would only betray his bloodshot eyes and pale skin. Of everyone here, Thor would know the signs. "Listen, man, I-I thought-"

"It is alright, Tony." Thor said softly as the others turned away, back to their training. "I should not have thought it best to hide this from them. But I knew they would not understand."

"I understand" Tony said hurriedly. "I understand. He's your brother; he's-he's got the potential to pull himself back to-together if he has the chance." There was a panic building inside Tony. There seemed to be more spiders under his skin than ever and only the suit was hiding the shaking of his limbs. He forced himself to calm down. "If he's locked away in A-Asgard though, won't that just lead t-to more mischief?"

"That is an end to it, Tony," Thor said, pulling his arm away. "I wish to speak on it no further."

Tony watched Thor walk away with mounting dread.

xxx

Tony stepped off the transport, crossed the airport pavement and onto his private jet. Usually, he flew himself home in the suit from the Helicarrier. Right now, even he understood that would have been a bad idea.

He had remained in his suit throughout his time with his friends, keeping the visor down and when he had to shed it, he was immediately in heavy sunglasses. He had to do anything but let Bruce see, who would suspect illness, or Thor see, who would probably know on sight.

He stumbled into a seat and had to take a minute to stop himself from hurling. Everything around him was spinning. This was worse than a hangover. This was like... the worse hangover ever.

His general mood had been put down to being imprisoned and most people had managed to brush it off.

It… well fuck. It _irked_ Tony.

_Even children would have figured it out by now._

But the _obvious_ was flying in the face of the basic facts of reality. _Playboys don't become toys for gods._

Tony knew that well, because that's what turned him into a genius and Steve into nothing more than your average Joe.

Because Tony looked for what _could_ be there. What _could_ be true, if he had the imagination, skill and patience to create it. Everyone else looked for what was actually there and the fact was Tony would not sleep with Loki. Why the fuck would he? Tony was a ladies' man, an egocentric little shit and an Avenger.

Who could ever believe he'd roll over and let a god pound him?

So that's presumably why, despite everything, they still weren't able to make that final leap and think, "Hey, maybe they're screwing?"

That irked Tony.

_They're basically saying they don't think I'm good enough to get a god._

_Fucking cheek._

"Good afternoon, Mr Stark. Can I get you a drink?"

He waved the voice away, his head in his hand. He grimaced as the jet took off. "Turn the fucking lights off!" he shouted. The juddering energy was gone. His words were slurring heavily now

Tony was finally able to pull his head up when the jet interior was dark. Someone had shut all the binds and turned off the lights. That same someone handed him a glass. "Water," she said. "Here."

Tony looked up blearily. Miss No-Fun-At-All. "Didn't realise you were here," he slurred.

She didn't answer, but gave him a pill.

"What's this?"

"An acquaintance of mine always finds this helps when he's coming off a high."

He stared at her. She thought he was coming down from a bad fix. That might have been okay when he was just the playboy, but things were different now. He couldn't have this woman running to the media and saying the Iron Man was coming back from SHIELD high.

"Look, Molly - I'm not high."

"Yes, Mr Stark."

Tony opened his mouth to protest, but how could he? He knew what he looked like; he knew what it seemed like. What was he supposed to say?

_Actually, I'm bound to the Nordic God of Mischief. The reason I look like this is because he's been condemned to the halls of Asgard, which by the way is in a different realm. I can't survive without him because of some magical ritual performed by twisted, obsessive Asgardians to ensure their favourite Midgardian sex pets are kept around for as long as they're wanted._

_But thanks for asking._

"Thanks," he muttered, swallowing the pill and finishing the glass.

"I'll let you sleep, Mr Stark. Just press the buzzer if you need anything."

"Thanks, Molly."

The flight was tortuous, even the smallest sound made him want to hurl. A limo ride to the tower and Tony had to be helped into the lift and up to the penthouse. He sent the driver away once they got there and hauled himself to the bathroom.

He threw up.

"Fuck Loki. Fuck him, I wish he was dead," Tony spat, not believing a word of it. "I wish he was dead."

He grabbed the sink and pulled himself up. Tony took one look at the mirror and almost threw up again. "Oh fuck," he said wetly. He forced the bile back down and ran the taps, washing his face.

If he knew anything about magic, it was that everything happened at midnight. Tony felt like he was dying and it would probably be at midnight. That's when the carriage turned back into a pumpkin, right?

Six days. Did Loki say six days and he would die of the withering? Or six days before he was taken, like a stray dog, to Asgard.

_Fuck him, fuck him… it's not fair to die just because someone's not in the room._

"Sir, would you like me to call Doctor Banner?"

_This would be the time to call Bruce._

"No."

Bruce had settled into Tony's world surprisingly easily, though not without his concerns that Tony was heading into a world of pain.

Tony had smiled at the man indulgently. "But Bruce," he had objected mildly. "A world of pain is what I'm after."

Perhaps the reason the others hadn't realised yet was thanks to Bruce. Bruce, who they turned to as the sort of… _user guide_ to Tony, had been helping to perpetuate Tony's chosen cover, i.e. Lockley.

But it was more than that. They had long ago grown wise to Tony's snobbery. Not for wealth or class, but intelligence. Tony was happy to admit it. And it wasn't even IQ he was after. Some of the people with the highest IQs Tony had ever known had been morons. IQ wasn't what Tony was after, just pure intelligence. Like Bruce and Pepper and Thor's Jane. And, Tony admitted grudgingly, Natasha.

But Bruce was Tony's absolute favourite, so the rest of the Avengers and SHIELD went to Bruce to make their case. Bruce would then go to Tony and slowly cajole him into falling in line with SHIELD's point of view.

They had turned to Bruce now and the doctor's efforts had helped in smoothing over any suspicions the others might have had over the whole event. Thor's explanation that Loki had used Tony to ensure his return to Asgard had been readily believed.

But Tony didn't want to call in Bruce. He didn't want to be seen like this. Loki was either coming back to him, or he was about to get dragged to Asgard for the rest of time.

_Or he's not. Loki's back home - exactly where he's wanted to go for months now, no matter what he says. And his summer holiday fling would be forgotten._

Tony rubbed his forearm over his eyes, forcing the image of his own dead body out of his mind.

_Fuck him, I wish he was dead._

The Niflheim Hoard had been dispatched pretty easily after Tony had been taken away by Loki. They had fulfilled their purpose by getting a member of the Avengers injured so Loki could swoop in and save the day.

_Fuck the Hoard. Fuck the lies. Fuck the devious shit. I just need him back._

Tony looked up startled as warmth filled his chest. In the mirror, his face started to colour, lines filling in, cheeks plumping out, eyes brightening. He stood gingerly, feeling like a new man. All the aches and pains and spiders evaporated away.

He walked quickly into the living room. Loki was waiting for him. He looked vaguely tired, but still the powerhouse Tony always pictured him as.

Tony had to violently resist the urge to leap into his arms. "What the fuck took you so fucking long?" he demanded. "Do you have any idea of how much trouble the fucking _withering _shit has caused today? I _barely_ hid it from the Avengers. I _barely_ hid it from Thor. And I couldn't hide it from Miss No-Fun who's got quite a fucking story for the tabloids now while you're jaunting around playing the fucking prodigal son!"

"Hush, boy. I know you must be tired."

Tony threw a punch before he had really thought it through. Loki dodged like a snake and Tony found himself on his knees, his arms hauled and restrained behind his back with one hand and the nails of the other hand digging into his skull, wrenching his head back.

He had expected Loki to be fuming, to yell. But he seemed calm and soothing.

"I know you are angry. And I will allow you to be angry. It will come with punishment and discipline, but I think that's what you want. You want to know that I am here, that nothing has changed. You want to know that I have not become," he laughed faintly, "a _good guy_. Correct me, my boy. Tell me you do not want discipline, tell me with the safe word, and I will relent."

_I could say Fury and prove the fucker wrong. Show him that this isn't a temper tantrum, make him hurt for thinking he can control me. Make him guilty for doing this to me._

"Did you go crawling back to daddy?" Tony sneered. He was slapped hard in the face. "Did you apologise to Thor like a good boy?" He was slapped again, harder. The pain felt so good and every time he turned his face back, there was Loki, watching him with tender eyes and making him hurt so amazingly. He paused, but Loki still wasn't reacting. Tony had to push harder. "I bet you even went crying to mummy about what a bad boy you've been, you stupid-"

"Enough," Loki said. He dragged Tony upright, his boy kicking and yelling every step of the way.

The journey home was made, Tony struggling and fighting Loki with everything he had. Loki dumped him on the stone floor. Chains flew down from the ceiling, holding Tony up like a puppet on a string.

Still he screamed and fought as he was stripped, though the tussle was entirely one sided. A gag was forced into his mouth and deep inside his chest he sighed with relief. Now he didn't have to force words of hate to get what he needed. What he so desperately wanted.

_Loki..._

"That's a good boy," Loki said and Tony felt a hand caressing his ass possessively. "I know you were scared. But it's alright. I am here and I'm not going anywhere. Not again."

_Fuck the lies, fuck the devious shit, fuck the hoard... for now._

Tony nodded unconsciously, now calm and quiet. Stripped of his ability to lie by the gag, the honesty of his body was unquestionable. Fingers played over the scars on his lower back. _My boy._ It provoked a sudden hardening in Tony's cock.

Loki noticed and nodded with a gentle smile. "Such a good boy to respond so well."

Loki drew back a hand and slapped him hard on his backside. Tony shuddered soundlessly. The slaps came regular, spaced out with strokes. Tony was completely silent; his head tilted back, his eyes closed and the beginning of tears in his eyes as pent up emotion found an outlet.

The slaps moved now, dividing themselves between his ass and thighs.

"If you can sit in the morning without wincing, I will not have done this properly," Loki breathed.

Tony found himself smiling. _Love him or hate him, Loki has style._

"I want you to tell me when you have had enough."

Tony pushed himself. He waited. Waited until he couldn't bear it anymore and forced himself to stay silent. Waited until he thought he was going to fall apart and waited. Waited until his entire body was wracked with sobs and said nothing.

"Enough," Loki said.

He stopped and Tony choked, shaking his head desperately, pleading with his eyes for Loki to resume. Loki looked at him critically.

"No. Your new fast car, I might be. Your new alcohol, I understand. But I am neither a car nor alcohol because I will not let you use me to destroy yourself in pursuit of the greater thrill. You do so by my whim, or not at all." Loki pulled up a chair and sat in front of Tony. "I hold your leash. And you will go as far as I allow you to and no further. We are going to wait for you to compose yourself. Then we will resume your discipline."

Tony head collapsed onto his chest as he hung in chains. His wrists were aching and he clung onto the pain in his arms, the pain in his back. It was real. It was tangible. It kept him anchored to his world.

He mumbled. Loki stood and pulled the gag from his mouth. "Yes, my darling boy?"

"You're... free?"

"Did Thor not say?"

"Said... confined."

Loki laughed. Tony's heart fluttered at the sound. His cock twitched. This man's every action ruled his body. "Well, well. Thor's a liar," Loki breathed.

Tony felt the warm air on his lips and groaned. He leaned forward, fighting against the chains and the pain, trying to get his lips on Loki's. The god seemed to consider whether or not to let him, then closed the distance. Tony opened his mouth, letting Loki's tongue in, letting the god own his mouth.

He sighed happily.

"I... apologise. For not including you in my plans with the

Niflheim Hoard. I apologise for using your world as an instrument for my return."

"Fucker," Tony breathed.

"Yes. I know. I am sorry, Tony."

Loki's hand was stroking over and over Tony's flat stomach pacifyingly. It was creating a warm pool inside him, making him melt. Loki's lips pressed up against Tony's again, turning Tony's mind into mush.

"Alright, alright," Tony murmured, "It's okay."

"You forgive me?"

"Yes."

"Would you like me to let you down?"

Tony shook his head.

"Would you like me to take you?"

Nod.

Tony was pulled up further and now his feet were hanging in the air. If he stretched, he could just put his weight on his toes, but became easier just to hang and adjust to the strain in his arms and upper back.

Loki waited until Tony had gone still again before moving around behind him. "Let's talk about sunsets and kittens, and fast cars and sports, and all those pure and wholesome things a good boy should be thinking of and not how desperately you want to taste my cock."

"Wh-urgh!" Tony tried to ask, but was cut off in mid thought as Loki slid a finger in and out.

"Concentrate, Tony."

"What?" Tony gasped.

"Tell me about the cars you own."

"Why-" Tony started, but cried out delightedly as a second finger pushed in.

"Tony, you are disobeying me. And disobedient boys do not get their little prostates stroked. Now, tell me about all the cars you own or I stop."

Tony forced his mind back to reality as fingers glided their way inside of him, touching every part of him. "Er... I, um, fuck, yes Loki, right there!"

"Right here?" Loki's fingers pressed up again, touching the spot that had sent a shock through Tony's body.

"Yes, yes!"

Loki pulled out immediately. Tony howled out and jerked hard as he gained another slap for his outburst. "I am standing here and I have yet to hear you utter the name of a car. Try my patience any longer and not only will you _not_ be taken, but you will be kept here, dangling in chains, on the edge of your orgasm, until people begin to notice you haven't appeared for weeks."

Tony found himself desperately wondering how long it would be until someone noticed him missing. He knew Loki well enough to be certain the threat was not an idle one. "A-Aston M-Martin."

"Good boy. And so we begin." Loki pushed two fingers back in and Tony crooned in joy. "Keep talking."

"P-P, Loki, Loki right there, please! Er, Porsche 918 Sp-Spyder. Er... oh, yes, Ford... Ford, fuck! Yes! Um, 1932 Ford Flathead Ro-Roadster – yes, please, just there! Harder, harder please!"

Loki pushed harder and Tony gasped and laughed at the joy. "Um, Acura NSX Roadster."

"Good, you were focused then. Is the car significant?"

"F-Favourite."

Loki chuckled. His hand seemed to be going deeper and Tony's legs kicked out in the air slightly as he lost himself once again to the bliss.

"And?"

"A, oh my god, a 19..19..." he groaned, throwing his head back, his arms tensing, pulling himself up briefly.

"Focus, Tony." Loki's fingers were relentless, following his squirming body no matter how far Tony tried to pull away.

Tony shook his head, trying to clear the haze filling him. "AMC AMX/3. 1967 Shelby Cobra. A Saleen S7-" Tony groaned hard as Loki's fingers found his prostate, teasing and stroking. "More, Loki, please, please give me more."

Loki pulled away from that spot, but pushed another finger in stretching him wider. "Go on. A Saleen S7."

Tony bent his mind back, shuddering hard. Tony loved cars. He always had. But never in his life had he been this horny while thinking about them. Sex with Loki on the backseat of the Audi. That was fun. But having his body stretched open; being pleasured so thoroughly while listing his cars was something altogether new and weird and dirty.

"Saleen... Sal-" Tony gasped and whimpered as Loki's fingers scissored out, widening him further. Tony shook his head, forcing himself to obey. "2008 Audi R8... I know what – oh yes! – I know what you're doing," he panted.

"I sincerely doubt it, my pretty pet, but do tell me."

"You're confusing me, distracting me, holding off my... my... oh my god you're so deep!" Tony wailed. His body was trying to escape the fingers, forcing him up. Loki was pounding hard, his fingers stroking over the prostate.

"Keep going, or I pull out," Loki threatened.

Tony would have rather pulled out his arc reactor than let Loki pull out of his ass. "Te-Tesla Roadster. Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren."

Tony stopped, finally at the end of his list, panting hard. Without the distraction, his mind refocused on the sensations. His whole body was squirming, floundering like a dying fish on a hook. How was that image suddenly hot? His cock was dripping with precum and his legs were shaking and kicking.

"Come on, boy. I am tiring of the silence."

"That's it," Tony whimpered.

"I think you're lying to avoid playing my game."

"I'm not, I'm not!" Tony whined piteously.

"You're forgetting a car, Tony." Tony's mind worked furiously until Loki apparently took pity. "Ford GT40?" Loki suggested.

_He doesn't just fuck me, he actually listens to me. He remembers and cares and, and… oh fuck._

"Loki, I love you," Tony whispered as the rising emotion became too much.

Loki laughed the pure, evil, god of chaos laugh. "Nice try, my sweet. But you're not getting out of the game that easily. Now, name the cars you have repaired."

Tony couldn't drag himself out of the mire of ecstasy to play Loki's stupid game anymore. "Loki, I don't-"

Loki dragged his fingers out immediately. Tony bit back a scream. It was painful to be suddenly so empty. His muscles objected violently, clenching on nothing.

His mind revved back up into gear. "Er, um, I, the- the GT Spyder. The Shelby Cobra. The Ford Flathead Roadster. The Audi. The Saleen S7. The Aston. Please, Loki, I'm – I need you inside me!" Tony finished in far more of a pleading sob than he could face up to.

Loki pushed four fingers back in. Tony winced, it was painful, but it seemed his god had taken the opportunity to add more lubricant. He slid in easier. "What did you repair on the GT Spyder?"

Fingers stroked, explored, twisted and stretched out.

"Everything."

"Specifics, boy."

"Entire frame. Transmission. Crank shaft. Engine. Interior. Everything."

"Do I want to know why?"

"Dr-drove it off a- overpass."

"And you survived?"

"Wasn't in it."

"A story for another time, perhaps. And the Shelby Cobra?"

"Wh-Wheels. Value assembly."

"When?"

"What?"

Loki slapped his sore ass hard. "What didn't you understand, boy?"

Tony frowned, searching his memories desperately. It was getting easier to keep his mind moving. The flare of pain and orgasmic bliss was still there, but the forefront of his mind was being forced to keep its attention on something else.

It was strange and wonderful to be so conflicted and confused.

"2..." Tony humped his hips back onto the fingers, his hard, bouncing cock swaying in the air. "2000."

"What month?"

"Loki please, just let me-"

"What month?"

Tony whined like a kicked puppy. "Um... Feb-no, no it was March. March it- it was March 2000."

"What did you replace on the Ford?"

Tony's body stiffened. He and his father had rebuilt that car from scratch. He couldn't, wouldn't think about his father like this, chained to the ceiling, a god's fingers rubbing up against his prostate. He wouldn't think about the legendary Howard Stark while he whined and begged like a slut. He wasn't going to cum with his father in his head.

"Ask me about another."

Loki sensed the weakness and moved in for the kill. "No. Tell me, or we stop."

Tony wasn't feeling the pleasure of this anymore. It was amazing how suddenly he wasn't so horny. The ramming of Loki's fingers was rapidly turning into pain and not the kind that made him weak and desperate. "Fuck you, I said no!" he snapped.

"Tell me about the Ford or I walk out of this room."

Tony felt a rising anger. Panic. He wanted to run away. He wanted to throw up. This was wrong. He was wrong. He was filthy and –

"Now, boy!"

"Fury!" Tony screamed.

Loki pulled out of Tony. Tony found himself lowered to the floor and the chains disappeared. He cursed angrily, shivering and shaking. He growled at himself when he felt the tears picking his eyes and rubbed his arm over his face, forcing it away.

Loki appeared in front of him. "I'm sorry. Can I touch you?"

Tony nodded hesitatingly. Loki's hand reached out and stroked his face. "I did not mean to cause you any distress. Or at least, none that you would not thank me for."

"You can't do anything fucking right, can you?" Tony spat.

Loki didn't respond, just petted him gently.

"Put me back up," Tony whispered. Loki didn't seem to understand. "For fuck's sake, tie me back up. I didn't want to be let down."

"You called stop."

"I had to!" Tony shouted angrily. He felt like he was getting blamed for ruining the game but soft kisses from Loki helped Tony pull himself back together. Tony shook his head and said, "It's all right. I'm fine. I just... not the Ford. Please. Don't stop, just don't try to push me down that road, I'm- I'm not ready to go there yet, I can't do it."

"We'll stop."

"No!"

Loki's hand closed over Tony's straining flesh. Tony yelped and his hands flew out to clench Loki's shoulders. Fuck he was so hard! "I will relieve you. Take you to the bed, lie you down and suck you so tenderly. I will hold you until you pass into sleep. I will not leave you like this, Tony. I would never leave you like this."

"I want to carry on, it's just..." _I can't talk about him. Not now. Not like this._

"I do not ask you to continue."

"And I'm begging you to."

"I don't want you to beg. I simply need your assurances that if I do so, it will not cause you further distress."

Tony smiled cockily through wet and red eyes. "None that I won't thank you for."

Loki kissed him. "Can I tie you back up?"

"You'd fucking better," growled Tony.

Chains pulled him up off the ground and back into the air. Tony took a moment, trying to get comfortable again. Loki waited until Tony nodded and moved back round. Tony smiled when he felt lips press against the small of his back.

Next, Loki pushed three fingers back in. Tony's body had readjusted so it was just a bit too tight.

"You've undone all of my lovely work," Loki sighed.

"I'm so-" Tony stopped himself in time. _Fuck him, I'm not fucking apologising for biology!_

"I do not want an apology, Tony."

"Funnily enough, I wasn't going to fucking apologise."

Loki let the lie pass without comment. "I merely demand you promise never to allow me to be any more evil than you can stand."

"I promise."

Tony hung in silence as the god reworked Tony's helpless body back into the desired position. It didn't take long before Tony's hips were humping the air again.

"Tell me about the Audi."

"F-Fuel. Fuel pump. Cylinder Head, Spark Plugs. Cam shaft. Axle. Windows. Wheels. Driver's seat. December 2010" Tony said, managing to sound smug despite the sensation that his entire body was trying to implode. "Why are you – fuck yes! Oh yes!"

"I am teaching you to compel your mind to accept the situation it's placed in and allow your body to suffer while it flies."

Tony grunted.

"You will gain greater control over your body and its reactions. After all, you never would have been so still and so obedient if you had realised what I was doing."

Tony's eyes flew open wide as an entirely foreign sensation was screaming for his attention. As he realised what Loki had done, his body lurched up and squirmed, gasping hard like he was drowning.

Loki's fist moved slightly, sending shock waves through Tony.

"So tight, so perfect, so pure," Loki crooned. Tony felt him feather gentle kisses along his spine. "It's like a warm, velvet glove."

"Fucking shit bullocks fuck fuck fuck," Tony whined. Loki's fist, buried inside of him, curled its fingers, rubbing against that magic spot. Tony lurched forward in his chains. "Fucking fuck!"

"Would you like to continue speaking about cars?" Loki asked innocently.

"No!"

"Shame. I was learning a great deal. What are you learning, boy?"

That a fist buried inside of him was the most amazing, the most terrifying thing to ever happen to Tony. Thank fuck the man had such slender hands.

_This is good, so good! Oh yes!_

"No, no, no, no," he whimpered in panic as Loki pressed hard, stroking and stretching and making his every nerve ending light up.

_Fuck don't stop!_

"Stop!"

Loki chuckled and just pushed harder. This was what Loki did. This was why the sex was so amazing. Because anyone else would hear Tony's distress and protests and stop. Because they were good. Good people living in a good world. Who believed that Tony's smugness was because he was smug. Who believed his playboy lifestyle was because he was a playboy.

Only Loki knew Tony's smugness was sadness. Only Loki knew Tony's playboy lifestyle was desperate loneliness. Only Loki would keep pushing Tony into the sex he wanted, needed, craved despite Tony's demands that it stop.

Except when Tony needed it to stop. Their real safe word, Fury, was used today for the first time and Loki had stopped.

_Loki's perfect._

_Loki loves me._

_He came back from Asgard for me._

Tony cried out with every breath as Loki's hand shifted again. Tiny movements for the god but a world of sensation for Tony. "Oh god, stop!" he cried.

"Shh," Loki breathed, stroking Tony's back. "You can't stop me, so just relax."

"Please!"

"This is going to be the most amazing orgasm of your life, my love. Don't be frightened. Commit to it. I am going to make you cum hard and I'm not even going to touch your cock. Are you ready?"

"No! No, no, no!" Tony wailed.

_Fuck yes! Please!_

Loki pulled back slightly and Tony felt insides being pulled out, then pushed back in. Loki was going so deep Tony knew he was going to start feeling it in his throat. His legs shook and flailed in the air.

His arms fought to pull himself away from the hand, pulling himself up. Loki didn't relent and followed. His prostate was alive, every nerve in his body screaming with joy. There was surprisingly little pain, but there was an overwhelming sense of weakness. Loki could have demanded anything of him in this position. Tony would have handed over anything for fear of what he could do.

Tony felt his toes curling, his eyes rolling back, his back arching. Every muscle in his body was tensing. If he was going to die from an orgasm, this would be the one. His mouth was open in a silent scream and he was held there, just teetering there on the edge, needing one little thing to push him into heaven.

Loki pressed his face against Tony's and whispered in his ear. "Close your eyes and imagine my hand where it is... but ice."

Tony came.


	42. Chapter 42: Devotion

"Never do that to me again."

"Don't be so silly, boy. You know I will."

Tony muttered bitterly and rubbed his eyes. "What time is it?"

"I do not care."

They were curled up in the round bed in the middle of the room, Loki draped over Tony as Tony grew ever more restless. After Tony had cum and, true to Loki's word, it had been harder than he had ever known it, he had hung practically dead in the chains until Loki had orgasmed, stroking himself with his free hand.

He had dragged his fist carefully from Tony and carried him to the bed.

"It was… it was fucking amazing," Tony said, quietly.

It may not have been so great had Loki done it earlier in their relationship. The magical binding between them was complete and Tony's pain tolerance had increased significantly. But it was more than that. Tony didn't think he could have gone through that if he didn't trust the mad god.

Tony threw an elbow back hard and heard the hiss from Loki as it caught him in the ribs. "I'm still pissed with you."

"I apologised," Loki said, sounding mildly resentful.

"That doesn't mean I forgive you inviting an alien army to my home, my planet, just for one of your fucking schemes."

Loki was silent.

_What hope do I have that he'll never do it again?_

_None._

Tony's eyes closed as he remembered the orgasm and he unconsciously found himself licking his lips. The binding had increased more than pain tolerance but also his need for Loki. Constant need for him. To have the man behind him now, naked…

"Want you," Tony growled, turning around, still encompassed in Loki's arms and kissing him deeply. "Want you now."

"Go to sleep, Tony."

Tony rubbed his pelvis against Loki, their warm lengths bumping and grinding together. His lips fastened onto his god's neck, kissing and licking until Loki finally opened his eyes and pushed Tony onto his front.

Tony smiled as his hands were tied behind his back. He struggled, kicking out with his legs before Loki dragged him up and out of the bed. Tony yelped painfully as he was dragged by his arms, bending back in a way to wrench them from their sockets if Loki wasn't careful.

A collar was forced round his neck and a leash tugged his neck up sharply. "That's enough," Loki said.

Tony chuckled. "You're so fucking easy."

Loki gave his leash another sharp tug. "I should not encourage this behaviour."

Tony gave him a theatrically baffled look. "What? You shouldn't encourage me wanting your cock?"

Loki glared as Tony gave him a cheeky smile. Loki rolled his eyes and said, "You will have to wait. I'm tired."

"Well, you're getting old."

Loki gave him the most exasperated look Tony had so far engendered. "You thoroughly vexing boy," he exclaimed, pulling Tony forward by his collar and kissing him deeply. "All mine," he breathed against Tony's lips.

Tony smiled again. "Come on," he cajoled. "This is why you found a younger guy, isn't it? To get you moving again in your old age."

"Must you make jokes about my age?"

"Must you make jokes about mine?" Tony grumbled.

Loki laughed, his white teeth glittering and despite recent events, Tony just felt so happy. _When has it ever been this good with a partner?_ Even Pepper. Pepper had loved him. Loki loved him too, but Loki adored him. Adored, worshipped and coddled him.

_Devotion._

"Silly boy," Loki breathed. He pulled Tony by the leash to the edge of the round bed.

Tony sat up, his legs over the side, with strict orders not to move while Loki walked about the room, preparing the new game.

Tony glanced almost wistfully over to the heavy wooden chair. He hadn't been strapped into it since the cattle prod session. He groaned slightly as he saw the offending item being taken out of the cupboard.

"Shh, don't whine so boy. You know it'll be fun."

"Fun for whom exactly?"

"Well, me, of course. But no matter what game we play, I'll always make you cum in the end. You have my word on that, for what it's worth. It's just too magnificent to watch your expression as pleasure hits you to ever walk away leaving you unsatisfied. Isn't that a reassuring thought to remember while you're screaming in pain?"

"Makes me positively weak at the knees," Tony said sardonically. But his stiffening was telling a different story.

Loki glanced at him with a judging look and smiled. "I'm glad to see you so peaceful."

"Am I?" Tony said sceptically.

Loki walked away, a collection of objects in his hands and put them on a small table out of Tony's sight-line. As he walked back to the cupboards, the god ran a hand over Tony's cheek as he passed.

"Your thoughts… your internal monologue which was so pronounced in the early months that I could almost see the words written across your forehead have… quietened. Somewhat. Is that not true?"

Tony held his gaze silently. As Loki resumed his preparations, Tony thought about it, waiting for that second voice in him to scream up from the darkness. The _Stark_ in his head. He couldn't deny how much more relaxed he felt. He was much more… in the moment.

Of course he would always have moments of anger and frustration. Especially when Loki just had to go and do his Machiavellian shit. Even Tony himself; he was never going to be the obedient little boy wholly and absolutely. But that bitter hatred of himself and of his god had lessened. He was allowing himself to enjoy.

Loki walked back over to him briefly; he untied and collected one of his hands, planted a quick kiss on it and poured oil into it. "Stroke yourself, my boy. I want you ready to play."

Tony smiled with a little shake of his head as behind him Loki arranged something at the other end of the room. He closed his eyes and stroked his semi-erect cock. It was okay, but a little routine. He wanted to turn his head, so see what the god was doing, but didn't dare.

"Talk to me," Tony said.

"What do you wish me to say?" Loki asked idly, his attention clearly on something else.

"Seriously, anything. Read out the alphabet for all I care, it'll still get me hard. It's just your voice I need."

"Should I tell you the tale of a boy who was captured by the wicked sorcerer and was doomed to spend all eternity writhing in orgasm?"

"Heard it."

Loki chuckled. "Very well." There was a pause, Loki was thinking.

When his voice came back, it was in a very different tone. One Tony, even with all his experience of Loki now, didn't recognise.

"Then I shall tell you of the lost Prince. A Prince who found the world was not as he had believed it to be and so grew cold with disillusionment. All his life he had lived in gold and resplendent halls, in long histories and traditions. As befitting royalty, the Prince was taught to see himself as above those around him, save his family whom he loved dearly. Above the rabble and plebs who were little more than entertainment. Subjects and slaves. He was a fool who believed the lie that his father had created. A lie which had become his existence and when that lie was revealed… His life, his identity, his world was shown to be nothing more than a story… he came to hate those who had deceived him and those who, despite no merits whatsoever, were destined by mere _parentage_ to surpass him."

Tony found he wasn't so eager anymore. His hand slowed until it stopped as Loki spoke. He could hear Loki's tone growing darker and sadder as he continued.

There was a long sigh. "But I get ahead of myself. The Prince's life, whilst he existed in the world that had been fabricated for him was good. Though tiresome, perhaps. Not without its troubles. There was the matter of ascendancy for one. The Prince had never desired the throne, not in truth. Real power is for those who can bend the publically acknowledged figure heads, so your actions, your desires are enacted by one who takes all the credit, but also all the responsibility. The Prince was far too given to manipulations and intrigue to truly want to be King; it would not fit his manner. Though neither had he believed his brother, the heir, worthy of it. The elder prince was not a shade of their… his Father, the all mighty King and the younger Prince greatly feared the outcome should the brute ascend the throne."

Loki chuckled. "The Prince was a man of mischief and his older brother was such a happy target of his schemes. He designed and played his dark games and no one around him ever really quite understood the power I held. Asg- The Kingdom is-was a world of warriors and thugs and thieves; how could they ever understand the quiet power of secrecy and scheming? The younger Prince even plotted with the Kingdom's greatest enemy just to ruin the elder's triumphant day. Though he could never have predicted the result of his jape would be the foundation of his brother's exile." There was a moment's pause. "It served the fool right. He deserved the punishment he got, he was such a… I… never wanted the throne. But when I realised, when the old fool confessed and told me what I was and what he had done … nothing more than the spoils of war, a way of lording it over a fallen enemy to steal away a baby… he stood there and admitted it all in such a way as to expect me to _pity him_… Pity _him_? To expect me to accept the fact that all this time, I would never have gained the throne because I… because I was the monster out of nightmares..."

Loki's story swung wildly from the third to the first person as he would lose himself in the memories and forget to be abstract.

"Loki," Tony said, turning but was stopped by a bark before he could even turn his head.

"Did I tell you to move?" shouted Loki.

Tony returned to his position immediately.

"Remain still. Remain silent. Stroke yourself to climax. I believe those where the only instructions I gave you. Don't make me hurt you, boy."

Loki's voice of command rang out in the room and Tony couldn't help but obey. But every part of him wanted to stand up and touch Loki.

He'll never be a king and he'll never rule a kingdom. The two things he had been trained to do all his life.

But here, in this room which responded to Loki's magic as though the place was an extension of his mind, he would rule Tony. Tony would be the worshiping subjects in Loki's world.

Tony's hand returned to his cock but didn't move with any enthusiasm.

The next time Loki spoke, he had returned his 'story' voice; gentle, eloquent and sad. "And so, all at once, the world the Prince knew was torn from his eyes as though it had never truly been there. As though it had been little more than a shadow on the wall. He was not the young Prince of an ancient and glorious Kingdom. He was a monster. The Prince began to see the world as it _was_; a world which would not treat him with any pity should the truth be known. Fortunately for our protagonist, his skills and intelligence had him well placed to deal with this suddenly strange and cold world. The young Prince knew he would never gain the throne whilst his father believed him to be no more a tool. An apparatus he had created for peace with his ice enemies. A use that was no longer even possible as the brash, hot-headed, reckless actions of his brother meant that Ice Nation would never now accept a Kingdom Prince as their king. So the Prince hatched a new plan, to show his father his worth. To make his father value him. To see me like he saw Thor. To love me just as much as he loved him."

Tony felt himself rolling his eyes, despite his pity. He had wondered how long it would take until Thor's name cropped up. Even so, Tony listened and felt his insides cringing. Tony knew too horribly well the need to be loved by your Father, admired and praised by a man you considered your guiding light, only to be rebuffed.

Howard Stark had died before Tony had ever heard any words of praise. And then they had been from beyond the grave in a flickering roll of tape projected onto a screen. It had been appreciated, but too little too late. Tony still felt that hole where his father's love should have been.

"I hadn't expected to be brought back from the void. I have believed it to be death." Loki paused and seemed to pull himself back from the brink of whatever he had been falling into.

Tony was fairly certain, from what Thor had told him, Loki had just skipped over quite a large chunk of narrative here. Like what had been the new plan he had devised and where did a void come into it? But then, this was _his_ world, _his_ story which he was telling to _his_ boy. Loki wasn't under any obligation here to admit to anything.

"The Prince was found in the darkness by a greater evil than he had ever imagined could exist. But by then the Prince had spent, it seemed, an eternity floating in the dark and silence. It had driven him to desperation, near insanity and he had accepted the Titan's offer unquestioningly. The Titan had seen into his soul and had perceived the black need for revenge. The hatred. The pain. The staff he gave the Prince did not create the evil, but fed it. Made it strong. Gave it new life."

How much was true and how much was lying? Loki lied, it's what he did. Tony wasn't some love sick sucker; Tony didn't believe his partner was perfect, far from it. His partner was a man who would laugh as Tony spasmed in pain then pound him into the floor mercilessly.

But there was a clawing honesty in the tone of Loki's prose and Tony decided to believe him.

_Okay, maybe 90% of it was true._

_85% at a push._

"Do you know what the Prince did then, boy?"

"Wrote an angry letter to David Letterman?"

"He turned his hate on his brother. This brother, the elder prince who would have everything, including their father's love because he was-"

"The golden boy?"

"Don't interrupt, child!" Loki snapped.

Tony couldn't help it. He loved the sound of his god annoyed. He loved the warning tone and the anger. _Fuck, that's suddenly woke everything up._

Tony's hand moved a little faster now, his cock which had almost grown soft, stiffening again.

"May I continue?"

Tony bit back a moan. "If you must."

"His elder brother would be handed it all when the younger was to be left with nothing. He could not even see his way to returning home, now his heritage was known. The ignorant fools speaking an infinitesimal amount of nothing, judging him for what he is. What he could not help but be. The Prince turned his eyes upon a pathetic little realm his brother loved so much. It would be the victim of Thor's arrogance and folly." Loki sighed. "Needless to say, the Prince's schemes did not come to fruition."

_Gee, you think?_

"The Prince was locked away in a cell in the Kingdom where he was bound to stay for the next five hundred years. Not a long sentence, I must say, for a godly Prince. Though one he baulked at serving while his brother strutted like a peacock, playing the great hero. Sitting in the dark was a reminder of the lie he had been living in for so long. Shadows in his cell. Sitting in the cold was just a mockery of the monster he was. And all the while, beyond his cell he could hear the world move on without him. He spent his days planning his mischief and one image came to mind over and over in the darkness. Of a brown haired, hazel eyed boy who had… sauntered so casually… spoken so openly to the Prince, even during the midst of battle, so evenly, honestly… in a tone he had not yet heard from any around him. The boy had struck the Prince and bent his curiosity towards him. An imprudent but resilient boy who had acted like a man, impressing the Prince with his intelligence and infuriated him with his impetuous nature."

"Loki-"

"Do not speak or I will not finish the story," Loki growled.

Tony's cock was almost fully hard now. The hot, solid length slipped in and out of his oily fist. Tony felt the beginnings of the tensing in his muscles, his hips rising off the bed, the coiling tension in his stomach. He forced himself not to speed up. He was not going to let himself even think about cumming until the story was over.

"This boy was part of a band of heroes, who belonged to the world the Prince had sought to destroy. Among their number was the Prince's brother, the elder brother who held to his old fashioned, foolish notions of '_brothers in arms'_ and '_warrior's codes'_. How better to antagonise him, make him susceptible to manipulation and destruction than killing his friend? This boy. Not confronting him on the field of battle like the elder prince would demand from warriors, but entering the boy's domicile and killing him. Tearing him apart and leaving his remains scattered around his own home. All very disrespectful in a warrior's world. Also rather messy."

Tony felt the laugh break out of his chest.

_Seriously?_ _You're listening to how you might have died. What's funny?_

Tony ignored the voice, letting the smile stay as fingers lowered, keeping away from the cock to avoid too much too soon and instead massaging his balls.

"Bad Prince."

"I assure you, the boy entirely had it coming. The child had been so… strong. So strong, despite the fact he knew he was going to die. Those eyes… the Prince could see the boy's thoughts and the dear little thing knew he was going to die. I… the Prince… would never understand what stopped him that day. The sight of the hero so nearly broken in shattered glass and a soul glowing in his chest for the entire world to see. The Prince would, for the rest of his life blame the boy himself, of course. The child was just too perfect, so proud and beautiful, untamed and stubborn. It spoke to a Prince for whom magic was his discipline. Who had broken horses and tamed many creatures of the forest. Who lived his life believing that anything powerful, anything untameable was worth making his own, by hook or by crook. Though he had no intentions of that at the time, it must be said. The Prince's concerns were somewhat more immediate as the boy had stirred his need with his pretty body and his beautiful defiance. Do you know what the Prince did, boy?"

"Fucked him," Tony whispered though his smile.

"Speak up, boy. Be clear."

"The Prince fucked the boy."

"Yes he did. And it was good. The boy, so innocent and inexperienced-"

Tony snorted. Loki ignored him.

"He could barely move by the time the Prince had satisfied himself. For a creature that had been labelled by his realm as some sort of _playboy_, a hedonistic creature of notoriety, he seemed so… _untapped_. The Prince had mounted the little creature and taken his body with abandon. He had bent and manipulated the young boy into orgasm and the boy seemed… seemed almost bewildered by it. It amused and intrigued the Prince to find such perfection. A creature, it seemed, who had never been used to his full potential. It was almost as though the boy had never been introduced to his submissive nature, when he was so clearly built for it." Loki sighed. "As I say, it intrigued the Prince. But even then, he was still resolve on carrying out his plan. I don't think the boy even noticed the knife that was held over the base of his spine, placed to push through skin and nerve and muscle to kill or paralyse. He was so weak and weary at the time, passing in and out of consciousness I imagine he barely registered his imminent death."

Tony's eyes opened. _Fuck. That was news to him. _"But you-" _play the game, Tony_. "The Prince didn't. Why?"

There was a silence and Tony resisted the urge to turn.

"Afterwards, the Prince reasoned that the likely hood was enough damage had been done. The boy would go to the elder Prince and tell of the evening, either the next day or later and it would have the same effect."

"What then?" Tony asked in a small voice.

"Then? Then the Prince returned to his lair to plan his dark schemes, of course. During the day, the Prince would command his mercenaries and spread his evil, planning his glorious return to the Kingdom that had dared to shun him. But at night, all he could think of was the boy. The Prince hated him for it. The Prince hated the boy for causing such turmoil. Hated how the boy's name would hiss across his lips as he came into his fist. So he returned. Night after night he returned. Came to hurt the boy, punish him, kill him. The Prince left every time. The Prince began to fear the boy had some magic of his own. He would anger the Prince by refusing and disobeying and fighting. The boy's behaviour making the Prince certain that this time, _this time surely_ he'd find the will to kill the stupid little mortal."

_Watch it, fucker._

"And then… all the viciousness and anger from the boy would suddenly cease, just as the Prince would decide that that was the night for his vengeance upon his brother. All at once, the boy's tantrum would cease. He would turn eyes on the Prince; wide, beautiful, worshipful eyes and cum so wonderfully that it would stop the Prince's hand every time." Loki chuckled. "You see, the boy clearly knew of the Prince's weakness and obsession and played into it for all he was worth, hoping to gain the better man's love."

Tony almost bit his tongue off as he held back a tirade. _You fucking fuck!_

"Is that not true, child?"

Tony gritted his teeth. _You little piece of shit, no it's fucking not true! You almost killed me and fucked me against my will and now you stand there like you're the victim?_

_Play the game!_

"Yes, god," he growled.

He heard Loki's laugh behind him and rolled his eyes. Tony could have jumped up and yelled the words he wanted to, but his cock throbbed hard with the rising emotion in his chest. His anger with Loki made him horny. Explain that one why don't you?

"Those eyes would save the boy from death every time. Those eyes burned their way into the Prince's soul until he could see them all time. Him. All the time. Until he could hear the boy's gasps and wails in his dreams. Until he could see the magnificent, slender body, writhing in sweat and chains in everything. The boy was very talented and drew the Prince in so entirely that… that at some point he stopped wanting the boy dead. It was…"

Loki seemed to be thinking. Tony was thinking too. Mostly, what Tony was thinking was how long could he hold off his pressing need to climax. His hand had gone crazy over his cock when Loki had been describing him. To hear himself talked about like that, to see this relationship told from such a point of view, to hear himself talked about as being so valuable.

He shuddered and hissed as he fought the climax back. He gripped the bed on either side of him and refused to move his hands back to his aching, twitching cock.

"Why did the Prince care?" Tony asked.

Loki chuckled again. "The Prince had tamed wild creatures and magic. The Prince knew potential when he saw it. The idea of keeping a beautiful, wonderful little boy he could call his own was just too good an idea to ignore. The Prince could see it in his mind's eye all the time; the handsome, tanned body, bound in cuffs and a collar kneeling besides the Prince's throne. Such a prize would make any in As-in the Kingdom jealous. But, alas, there was an obstacle to the Prince's prize. During the day, alas, the boy did not spend his time in good company. At least, not in company the Prince would have picked for such an easily lead, delicate pet. The climax to this all being that one day, the Prince was barred from taking his boy by a beast guarding the gate."

_Bruce._ Bruce had been staying over after the James Bond, barroom brawl incident.

"It had infuriated the Prince, for he knew what a sensual little creature his boy was and feared that without his chains, the boy may take the opportunity to be punished by other. That is always the danger of taming a creature, if it is not done correctly. Now the boy had been opened to his secret nature, how easy would it be for him to show _those eyes_ to another? The Prince could not help but imagine it, the images haunting him at night. And so the Prince knew. Knew then that the boy was _his_ boy and he would not suffer another to touch him."

_Fuck that and touch me! I'm dying here._

"Do you know what happens next in the story, boy?"

"He was… taken by the Titan."

"And?"

"Tortured."

"And?"

"His brother rescued him," Tony hissed. "Which is strange if the fucking Prince thinks-"

"You missed a part of the tale, boy. Yes, the Prince was tortured, but spent his days and months dreaming of his boy. Those dreams kept him sane, despite the agonies. In the void, he had simply hated and had been driven to near insanity. Those dreams brought him back with the desire to destroy out of revenge. But in that grey and dusty world, dreams of you kept me alive."

Tony shuddered with pleasure.

"The Prince was rescued. His hatred of his family had waned in the realm of Thanos. No longer did he dream of revenge. He dreamt of his boy and of those eyes. I realised that I'd rather live under the yoke of my _father_ and all the Asgardian court if it meant ensuring a future with you."

"The Prince turned good?"

"No. No never. The Prince remained black hearted and evil. But that made his love for the boy no less true."

"Good," Tony breathed.

Tony jumped as a hand grasped his cock in an excitingly powerful grip. Loki stroked him hard and Tony writhed and rubbed his back against Loki's chest.

"Can you tell me how the story ends, my boy?"

Tony was mewling and gasping, one hand reaching around and holding the back of Loki's neck for support as his hips bucked up, rising off the bed. He blinked violently, holding back the inevitable orgasm as long as he could.

"They both lived happily ever after?" Tony said with a manic, breathless laugh.

"That'll do," Loki agreed, pulling Tony's head back and forcing his tongue into the panting mouth.

Tony exploded, cumming over Loki's fist, screaming into the god's mouth. He shuddered in Loki's arms, one of the god's hands still stroking. Tony winced softly as it became sore and the hand stopped.

"Fuck that was good," Tony breathed. "Fuck yes. Oh god yes. We have to do story time again."

"I'm so glad, my pretty boy. Now I'm going to hurt you. I've heard one too many curses from your lips today."

Tony smiled. "Why does it bother you so much?"

"Good little boys do not swear. Good little boys are meek, obedient and respectful. They do not attempt to mimic their betters by using language which is not appropriate for them."

Tony's eyes widened at this insane seminar. "That has to be the fucking biggest load of fucking shit I've ever fucking-" He was suddenly, though not surprisingly, dragged off the bed by his leash.

_I hate him so much I love him and I love him so much I hate him. But I honestly don't care. So long as he never leaves, I could live like this forever._


	43. Chapter 43: Stimulation

Loki hummed in Tony's ear. "We've done pleasure. Now pain?"

"You're not a monster, Loki. You have to stop saying that."

"I am an Ice Giant. But I truly feel like a god when I'm with you, Tony. Now ask me for pain."

"Hurt me, please."

He was dragged to the far wall and strung up by his wrists, a gag forced between his lips. Only when he was chained to the wall did Loki unclip the leash, but the collar remained. Loki glared at Tony; now back in dominant god mode. A hand flew out and slapped his face hard. Tony blinked dazedly and scowled back.

"I wanted to begin your punishment, boy. But you're little stunt over there, orgasming so wonderingly and teasing me with your writhing has excited me. Now I will not be able to concentrate on disciplining you. What shall we do about that?"

Tony hung in the chains silently. He waited, knowing that Loki would get his way and whatever happened, it was going to be so much fun.

Loki slapped him again. "My sweet little teasing boy. You must suck me to climax. It is the only way for you to be forgiven for your mischievousness. Then we shall start on your beating. That will forgive you your coarse language."

The chains released him. Tony stood still, waiting. Loki pointed at the floor. "Down."

Tony knelt. Loki gestured again, down. Tony hesitated for a second, then lay on his stomach at Loki's feet. He felt the chains around his ankles now and before he really realised what would happen, he was hoisted up. His hands dangled down to the floor, his legs in the air, his back against the wall.

_And guess what perfect position his head was in? Goodie._

Chains grabbed his wrists and pulled down tight so there was little chance to move about. Blood was flowing to his head and making him dizzy. Loki spent a long time stroking Tony's goatee, his fingers teasingly close to the strap of his gag but not releasing it.

Eventually, Tony realised he was going to have to beg. He whimpered, trying to sound desperate and pleading. Loki patted his cheek approvingly and pulled away the gag.

Tony licked his lips. "Honey, don't you think this is all getting a little routine?" he goaded.

Loki smacked his face. "Go on boy."

Tony held back an annoyed grumble and tried to lean forward but he was too tightly bound.

"Don't keep me waiting, Tony. It's entirely possible; you just don't want it enough."

"I do," Tony said, surprised at the whine in his voice. And again, maybe not really that surprising. Loki's cock was right there in front of his face, so tempting, so stunning. Tony needed it in his mouth.

Loki sighed. "Perhaps a little motivation?"

Tony gasped as Loki's mouth began sucking Tony's cock. Tony gasped and writhed against the wall. He hadn't stopped to think that Loki's angle on Tony's cock was just as good as Tony's on his.

Loki pulled back for a moments lecture. _Fuck the man likes to talk_. "You see, it's all about training. Carrot and stick. Reward and punishment. You can be incentivised to do things with both positive stimulation and negative."

Tony shuddered as Loki's mouth returned. Something about how he had said _stimulation_. The world had poured from him like rich wine. After a few seconds, Loki pulled away with a last joyful suck, and then pressed the cattle prod into Tony's hip. It was on a far higher setting than last time and Tony screamed through gritted teeth.

"Pleasure. Pain. Get my cock in your mouth, my love," Loki said in a sing-song, but dark and threatening voice.

Tony worked much harder now, straining and pushing against the chains.

_Because I want the pleasure, or because I want to avoid the pain? _

_Doesn't matter really._

By arching his body and forcing his neck out he managed to guide the tip into his mouth. He sucked hard and tasted Loki's precum in his mouth. It made him trembling with delight.

But it was a difficult and painful position, made all that harder to maintain when Loki's mouth returned to his cock. Tony gasped and Loki's tip slid out. Immediately he was hit with the cattle prod and screamed.

He fought to get the cock back into his mouth but didn't do it fast enough to avoid another shock. Once it was back in, Tony concentrated this time. This was what Loki was teaching him, to pull his mind above the pleasure to focus on the task in front of him. It allowed Loki to play with him longer and lead to some of the most intense climaxes of Tony's life.

"Need your mouth, Tony. I need it more than the air," Loki sighed. His face brushed up against Tony's thigh, nuzzling him. "Oh yes, yes. Oh Tony."

Tony was deeply excited by the praise and worked harder. But the strain in his neck told him that very soon he was going to have to pull off to relieve the ache. Knowing he was about to get electrocuted with the cattle prod and there was nothing he could do to change it made his body shiver in the most glorious way. His head left the cock and he screamed at the responding charge shooting into his body.

He wailed in pain and then pulled the tip of the shaft back into this mouth.

"Yes, yes, oh yes! Oh good boy. Such a good boy. Worship your god and he will deliver what you want. What you need."

_You already do._

Loki took a step forward, playtime seemly over. Tony gagged as the cock slid entirely into his mouth. Loki was thrusting now, sucking Tony's length as he pounded his boy's face. With the blood pounding in his head, this was all just that little bit too intense, especially as it cut Tony's air off with every push. Tony forced himself to stay calm.

_I trust him._

Loki's cock twitched in his mouth and Tony felt the man's balls contracting. Loki panted, pulling out of Tony's mouth. He turned to the side and stroked himself to his finish. Tony groaned, bizarrely disappointed but knew why.

"I can't afford to suffocate you, boy. If I lived for another thousand years, I'd never find a replacement."

"Oh thanks a bunch," Tony muttered, trying to sound hurt at the backhanded compliment, but couldn't hide his grin. The gag was forced back into his mouth.

Tony was rearranged back so he was in the starting position, facing out the right way up, arms outstretched above him and his legs dangling down. Tony's cock was still hard and bouncing in front of him. Loki ran a finger down it.

"So pretty. I like you excited, boy. It shows you at your best. Your eyes wide and dilated; skin red and glistening with sweat. Your chest panting, showing off your arc reactor to its best. Your cock, the most honest part of you, proudly displaying to the Nine Realms exactly what I do to you."

Loki picked up a whip. "Let's see… front or back to start with?" He considered for a long time. Tony waited with mounting excitement, his stomach doing summersaults. "Out of curiosity, do you have any idea how many times you have sworn since you emerged from the bathroom back in Stark Tower?" Loki stroked Tony's face lovingly, then slapped him. "Thirty two times."

_Really? Wow. Pepper was right. I really don't know I'm doing it._

Loki raised a finger in front of Tony's face and waved it back and forth. "Tsk, tsk, tsk," he said, reprovingly. "That's naughty."

Tony felt his insides squirm at Loki's disapproval. _Which is f-damn insane. Who cares what he thinks?_

_I do._

"But, you are going to earn your way back into my good graces, aren't you?"

Tony nodded dutifully. His cock throbbed hard.

"So… front or back…" Loki mused. "Thirty two curses. We're going to double that which gives us the nice easy total of sixty four. Two for each curse. On the first strike, you should consider it punishment for the use of the word. The second is reinforcement that you should never say it again. And thus, you learn."

_Unlikely._

Loki's hand was stroking Tony's chest, almost soothingly. It was at complete odds with the impending pain. "The only question remains is, do I want to inflict all sixty four on your front? Or on your back? Or shall I divide it up? Thirty two on your front and thirty two on your back? Or, have you been so naughty, so disobedient that I am compelled to go further? Sixty four on your front… and sixty four on your back?"

Tony shuddered miserably. Hundred and twenty eight? He wasn't sure he'd survive.

_Yes you will, because you jumped in like an idiot and bound your soul to his. Now think of all the pain you're going to be able to survive because of it._

Loki brought his face up to Tony's and kissed his cheek. "No. You were scared and frightened of the withering. You were scared you'd never see me again. I cannot blame you for your bad behaviour today. I am evil, not heartless."

Loki pulled back and raised his arm. "Thirty two on the front, thirty two on the back. Then you will get on your knees, thank me and I will let you cum. See? Aren't I a benevolent god?"

The lip of the whip struck down and pain radiated through every nerve he had.

_Oh this is going to be a long evening._

Loki could aim like you wouldn't believe, managing to catch him on the nipple more than once but mostly focusing on his stomach. The pain at first would be terrible, but then it would radiate out, lancing through his body until everywhere hurt.

_The mother freaking fucker is just too fucking skilled._

Tony bucked and yelped and screamed. He almost bit through the gag. His chest was littered with angry red welts before Loki finally stopped, panting noticeably. The god's face was smiling, his eyes shining at his work.

Tony glared at him in vehemence.

The pain stung, but it didn't hinder his mind. He was still with it. Still awake. Still level headed. It had to be þjá ey. Tony was getting stronger. Tony was quickly developing into the perfect little thrall.

"Oh Tony," Loki whispered, his eyes raking his boy's body. "Tony… you always inspire my best work."

Loki raised a finger and made a circular motion. Tony found himself being turned in mid-air and sighed in relief as his chest pressed up against the cold stone. It soothed the tissue, but the calm didn't last long.

Tony was flung back again into a screaming, flinching, yowling world of pain. But there was a difference this time. Every time he bucked to get away from the whip snapping against his backside, his cock was thrust into the wall. It wasn't a particularly pleasurable way to find relief, but Tony was so close anything would do it.

Maybe half way into the last thirty two he heard Loki's frustrated sigh. "Boy, do I really have to stop you from humping the wall? Can you not stay still for another five minutes?" Loki chuckled as he hit Tony on the shoulder blade. "I honestly don't know what I'm supposed to do with you sometimes."

Tony slid to the floor when it was finally over, sore everywhere. Contrary to all logic and biology, no skin had been broken; that was amazing. He turned so he was kneeling in front of Loki.

"Thank you," he breathed with a smile.

Loki smiled back and pulled him up. "Come on," he whispered, pulling him into the bed. "Sh, my precious boy, just relax." The god pulled them under the heavy blankets and lay on top of Tony.

The playboy cringed painfully as their hard, hot cocks brushed together. "Loki," he whined desperately.

"Sh, sh, relax. Relax. Trust me."

Tony forced himself to still, but the effort was almost unbearable.

"You're doing so well, Tony. You know you'll get your release and you know I'll always make it good, don't you? Good boy. So trust me to teach you how to gain such heights. Kiss me."

Tony kissed Loki immediately, losing himself in the glorious closeness.

"Put your arms round me."

Tony obeyed. As Loki's powerful arms came around Tony they seemed to sink together even closer.

"And your legs. Interlock them with min- yes! Like that. Good boy."

Tony's eyes fluttered, rolling back in his as the heat became so much.

"Listen, Tony. I think you have realised the idea. But there are a few rules. You do not let go of me and you do not stop kissing me. Okay?"

Tony nodded, leant up and kissed Loki. He squirmed against the god and shuddered as their cocks ground together. He could feel Loki tensing in his arms as much as he was. A slow grinding, almost like a dance began as they moved against each other, trying to find their release in the heat and friction.

He didn't disobey, not once, but even as he kissed he was keening, mewling. Again, as was so often the case, he could feel tears falling down his face. The impassioned wails he gave, the lust in pain and the tears were all traits that Tony had discovered in himself which only Loki had ever brought out.

Loki was panting into Tony's mouth too, his fingers knotting in his boy's hair to keep the face close to his own. Loki's demanding thrusts against Tony made him giddy with the thrill. They writhed together, almost trying to crawl inside each other.

_þjá ey_ Tony realised. This entire evening had been an assessment of þjá ey. To see how far Tony had come, how deep the connection had become. To test how strong their connection was.

Tony knew he wouldn't even be remotely surprised to find out that Loki had intentionally stayed away as long as he did to see if the withering would set in. To bring Tony to that brink of death and pull him back like it was nothing.

This whole thing had been Loki checking that Tony was indeed enthralled.

And now, at the climax of their evening, Loki had set this up as the ultimate in experiencing the effect the ritual had caused. The pain from the beating, the pleasure, held under the blanket creating boiling heat, wrapped in each other's arms, tongues in each other's mouths, the grinding hips, interlocked legs… And two souls tied together but in two separate bodies, trying to unite.

Tony thrust faster now, so, so close. He might have unintentionally stopped kissing at that point, so overwhelmed with need, but Loki was pressing down hard, unwilling to let Tony's mouth go.

Tony grunted into Loki's mouth as his cock pulsed. He felt that final, wonderful tensing crush and came powerfully, bucking up into Loki with wild abandon, writhing and sobbing. His boy going crazy underneath him tipped Loki over the edge and he came against Tony.

The lay dazed, panting hard, still holding each other as they finally pulled themselves back from the clouds. Tony's eyes fluttered open to see Loki, still a little out of it, licking his lips vaguely. He was staring unseeing at the blue light in Tony's chest.

Tony blinked sweat out of his eyes, holding Loki until the god finally seemed to wake up. Green eyes moved up to Tony's and stared intensely.

"Love you," Tony whispered.

Loki shuddered and collapsed against Tony's chest. He lay for a long few seconds before turning his head to press his lips to Tony's ear. "I love you too."


	44. Chapter 44: Learning

Loki pushed a finger into Tony's mouth. Tony gave him an incredulous look, raising his hands in agitation. "-ut –uh –uck?" he objected, the finger distorting the words.

They were both sitting on the master bed in Stark tower on a Tuesday afternoon, like two school kids pouring over their homework. In this case, Loki was teaching Tony the finer points of Asgardian language and diction.

The long finger stroked up and down Tony's tongue. "Such a lazy thing," Loki purred. "You will never master Asgardian if you do not exercise this precious muscle more." Loki's eyes flashed. "I can think of many exercises we could do."

_Oh the constant fucking praising._

"I-s –oo ear-y –or –is," Tony grumbled. Way too early for this. In the olden days, he used to sleep until three in the afternoon. Now he was getting up at noon for fucks sake.

That wasn't the only difference from the olden days. Tony found he was missing the triviality of a blasé lover. Loki's praises were near constant and boarding on ridiculous. Alright, he praised Tony's skill in the bedroom, but it was more than that. Tony's eyes were divine, his cock was beautiful, his chest muscles were exquisite, his tongue was precious… fuck, the other day Loki had actually said his _wrists_ were perfect.

_How the fuck could you have 'perfect' wrists?_

_Hey, I'm Tony Stark. If anyone could have perfect wrists, it's got to be me, right?_

"Are –ou –ished?" Tony asked wearily.

Loki chuckled and pulled his finger out. Tony rolled his eyes and pulled the book back towards him.

"Atgeirr."

Tony cocked his head as Loki spoke and repeated the word back. Loki rolled his eyes. "Such a lazy tongue. Try again."

"Atgeirr." Tony repeated. It didn't sound any better, even to his own inexperienced ears. "Atgeirr. What does it mean?"

Loki smiled. "Thrusting spear."

"Get your head out the bedroom. I'm trying to learn something that will be useful. I can't go up to some random person in Asgard and discuss my thrusting spear."

"Really? And you're usually so upfront about these things."

"Shut up."

"You were awfully keen on discussing your spear last night. And where you wanted to thrust it."

"Shut. Up."

"læsa."

"læsa?"

"Shut up."

"Fine, be that way."

"No, Tony, the translation-"

"I know. I was being funny."

Loki rolled his eyes again, the weary teacher. "Gellir."

"Gellir."

"No, _Gell_-ir."

"And that means?"

"Screamer."

"Okay, you're not even trying to help, are you?"

Loki laughed, his eyes glittering and his body shaking. The sheer joy poured off him in waves. Tony smiled and shook his head.

"Alright love. Something thing useful. Mærr þræll."

"Mærr þræll." Tony repeated, fairly sure he had got the pronunciation correct that time. He frowned. "Something thrall."

"Royal Thrall," Loki clarified. "That's what you say to anyone who seems intent on causing you harm. You repeat that, over and over and they will not dare. Harming any thrall is a crime. But harming a royal thrall can lead to execution. Say it."

"Mærr þræll."

Loki sighed, like it was the most beautiful sound he had ever heard. His eyes looked dreamily at him. "Again."

"Mærr þræll, minn guð." Tony said. _Royal thrall, my god._

Loki smiled, perhaps more genuinely than Tony had yet seen, then pulled his mind back to the here and now. "Say ásjá."

"Ah… ásjá… means…help."

"Kveðja ásjá."

"Call for help," Tony said. "Kveðja ásjá."

"Hilmir."

Tony frowned. "Hilmir…"

Loki waited, then said, "Hilmir Óðinn."

"King."

"Very good, boy."

"Teach me to say, 'fuck you Odin'."

"No."

"Spoil sport."

"Mungát."

"Mungát."

Loki groaned, rolled his eyes and leaned forward. His lips pressed over Tony's and sucked his boy's tongue into his mouth. Tony jumped slightly as teeth bit. "So lazy," Loki scolded.

Tony smiled. "You know, if my Spanish teacher had done that, I might have made a better effort at school."

"Again."

"Mungát."

"Drink. Mun-_gát_."

"Mungát."

"Thor inn Qlfuss."

"I'm guessing that's not complimentary."

Loki looked innocent. "…Maybe."

"Moving on."

"Ek æsta gjǫr. You ask for food, or a meal. Ek æsta gjǫr."

"Ek æsta gjǫr. Ek æsta mungát."

"Ek fylgja buðlungr Loki."

Tony's mind worked quickly as the language became more and more familiar. "I belong to Prince Loki? Aren't I already saying that if I'm telling people I'm a royal thrall?"

"Yes. That phrase is just for us. I want to hear you say it when we make love."

"Well, I hate to break it to you, but me trying to remember how to say _ek fylgja _whatever while you're taking my ass is kind of a mood kill."

"Say it."

"Ek fylgja buð… something Loki."

"We'll work on it. Say kyssa."

"Kyssa. Ky-ssa. Kyssa. What's that?"

Loki caught Tony's mouth again. "That."

"Ah. Ek æsta kyssa," Tony said happily.

Loki chuckled as they kissed. "You can slot the words together, but it does not make a sentence, love. It's like listening to a child learning to speak. Minn dýrr sveinbarn."

"Dýrr… precious. My precious boy."

Loki smiled gently. "You don't know how happy this makes me, Tony. I like that you want to learn. I like that you're letting me teach you."

"For better or for worse," Tony muttered bitterly. "In sickness and stupidity. Kind of stuck with you at this point so figured I'd make the best of it. Now, how do I say 'keep your hands of my suit you axe welding Asgardian lunatic'?"

Loki rattled of a sentence that sounded way too hard to master.

"Okay. How about just 'fuck off'?"

"I have enough trouble with your cursing in Midgardian. I will not encourage your ill language to become bilingual."

"I curse in English. I can swear in French and Mandarin too."

"You will comport yourself with the dignity expected of a royal thrall."

"Mærr þræll."

"Exactly. Say, kveðja Thor, ek nauðsyn ásjá."

At this point, Tony was sure he knew enough to work this one out. "Call Thor, I need help?" Tony gave Loki a searching look. "Why would I need that?"

Loki shrugged, acting indifferent. "When you are permanently in Asgard-"

"If."

"When. When you come to reside in Asgard indefinitely, you will not be able to simply hide behind SHIELD or your green beast."

Tony realised Loki was trying to give Tony a safety net. If Loki ever went off the deep end, Tony had the phrase he could use on any citizen to get Thor to intervene.

Tony wasn't sure if he was touched or terrified.

"Okay… how do I say-"

"Say it."

"I heard it. I'll remember."

"Say it, Tony, or I'll break your arms."

"Kveðja Thor, ek nauðsyn ásjá," Tony said in a hollow, patronising voice. _I would never say it. Not for any reason would I set Thor on Loki._

_Loki's a psychopathic, lethal, fucked up mess but he's my psychopathic, lethal, fucked up mess._

Loki flicked a couple of the book pages over, looking unsettled and tense. "Fortunately for me, your diction is so appalling that no one you repeat that to will understand. So no harm in you touting that useful little phrase."

"I don't need it."

Loki looked at him blankly. "Say elska."

"Elska."

"It means love. Say munuð."

"Munuð."

"It means physical love. Sex. Say minn ástugr guð."

"Depends. What does ástugr mean?"

"Benevolent. Loving. Say it."

"Minn ástugr guð."

"Again. Keep saying it while I strip you."

Tony laughed and repeated the phrase as little by little Loki stripped the clothes from his body. Tony kept it up, like a chant, as Loki laid him back carefully and kissed him gently, starting at Tony's chin and working all the way down until he was lying between Tony's legs.

"Minn ástugr guð, minn ástugr guð, minn ástugr guð," Tony whispered as he felt Loki's hot breath on his cock. "Oh minn ástugr guð."

Loki kissed Tony's stomach, thighs, a tongue darting out to gently tease the delicate skin on his inner thighs. There was a pause and-"Sir, there is an incoming call."

"Fuck! Jarvis!" Tony screamed. "Remind me to fit you with a fucking snooze button!"

"I'm sorry for the interruption, sir. Bruce has arrived and is waiting in the lab. The other Avengers will be arriving shortly. Director Fury is on the line. What do you wish me to do?"

Tony sighed, disappointedly. He looked down at the god still lying between his legs. The god was licking his lips temptingly, like a large, dangerous cat. Loki raised an eyebrow and shrugged. "Your decision, boy."

"No conditions?"

"If you want to cum, we're not leaving until I do too."

_Always conditional._

Tony smiled. "Tell the director he can bite me. If he doesn't want to come round for pizza that's his fucking loss. Tell Bruce Loki and I are busy and I'll be down soon. Now, minn ástugr guð," Tony crooned. "Sixty nine me."

xxx

An hour later, Tony was staring miserably at the code flicking across the screen. The Doom code. Doom's fucking code. Bruce stood at his elbow. Tony turned slightly and Bruce shrugged. "Binary code… more your thing than mine."

"It's encoded Binary Code. It's encoded, encoded binary code. It's so encoded that… I've forgotten where I was going with this. The point it, it… makes no sense. I have to be missing something. There must be another piece to the puzzle."

"You'll figure it out."

"Obviously. I'm a genius. It's just taking too damn long."

"Tony, can I talk to you about something?"

"You know, I hate it when you start conversations like that."

Bruce was looking at him sideways, his fringe covering his face. Tony recognized the signs. "What?" he asked, with no small amount of trepidation.

"Is your... relationship with Loki... viable?"

Tony frowned. "In what sense?"

"What do you do?"

"I'll tell you when you're older."

"What do you talk about?"

"I'll tell you when you're older."

"Do you see what I'm saying?" Bruce asked pointedly.

"No."

"Tony..." Bruce sighed. "When you two are not... doing that, what are you doing?"

"Arguing."

"You see?"

Tony chewed his tongue as he stared accusingly at the running code. Maybe Bruce had a point, but so what? Not every relationship had to be based in common interest or… friendship even.

_Friends._

That was it. Bruce was a friend. Thor was a friend. Hell, even Steve was a friend.

_Actually, Steve more of a colleague. The quiet one in a dickey bow that's always working and all the cool guys make fun of._

Loki wasn't a friend. Loki was a lover.

Bruce broke in on these thoughts. "I'm just saying, when the sex stops, what are you going to have?"

"You."

Bruce smiled vaguely. "Well, I'll always be your friend. But only for as long as I live. What about in a hundred years' time? If this binding magic thing is true. What happens when I'm gone?"

Tony pushed himself off the table he had been leaning on angrily. "Why does everyone always start obsessing over things that aren't going to happen for decades?"

For as long as Tony could remember, he never planned his life further than the weekend at best.

"We don't all think living in the moment is a good idea."

"Why the hell not?"

"Have you thought about that? If this is all true, Loki's going to have to be everything for you. A friend, a partner, a lover, family... I just don't know if you've really thought it through."

Tony made a loud noise of frustration and Bruce finally took the hint. The doctor raised his hands in surrender. "Fine," he sighed. "Just think about it."

"Yeah, I'll do that."

"No you won't."

"Let's talk about you. We need to find you a girl."

"No, Tony."

"Or a guy."

"Very funny. I'm not dating. It's not... possible."

"Sure it is."

"You know, blind optimism and a stubborn refusal to accept facts doesn't help in the long run."

"Really? Well that's me fucked then," Tony sighed. "Come on, Bruce. I'm tired of you looking so miserable all the time. Time to find yourself some fun."

"What do you suggest? Lonely hearts ad? Middle-aged guy seeks woman, liable to turn into ten foot killing machine when heart rate elevates?"

Tony paused. "Ah."

"Exactly."

Tony sighed. Then frowned. "What about-"

"Even then."

"You don't know what I'm ask-"

"I know exactly what you're asking and the answer is: I have to avoid even _that_."

Tony shuddered. No sex of any kind then._ Fuck, I think I'd die. _"Well... explains all the yoga. And breathing exercises. Life of abstinence. That's gotta suck." Tony looked pityingly at his friend. "There has to be something I can do to help you. You've earned it. See? You're officially owed the time and money of Tony Stark. I want to help."

"Thank you. But you can't."

Tony chewed his tongue. He didn't like that phrase. In fact he hated that phrase. Someone just told him that he _can't_. Now he just had to, didn't he? Tony gave his friend a piteous look. "You worry too much."

"I worry the regular amount. You don't worry enough."

"So you can't even get a blow job?"

"Tony!"

"That sucks. Or not, obviously."

Bruce gave Tony an exasperated look and the billionaire relented.

The intercom buzzed. "Come on boys," called Natasha's voice. "Pizza's here."

Tony sighed and shut the computer off. He was sure five years ago; he could have solved the code, no problem. But that's because he would have gone into an obsessive episode. Suck at his desk for days not eating or sleeping until it was solved. Now, between the Avengers and Loki, he was constantly dragged away.

_Everyone else's fault but mine._

Bruce's eye fixed on Tony as they walked to the lift back up to the flat where the others were waiting. "Just please, tell me you want him to hurt you for the_ right reasons_."

Tony frowned as he hit the button for the lift. He hadn't really thought whether his reasons were right or wrong, only if he wanted them or not. "I don't get it."

"I know. That's what worries me," Bruce complained.

They both stepped into the lift, Tony still a little baffled. "What's the _right_ reason?"

"Because you both are equal partners, who love and respect each other and participate in power play sexual actives for pleasure."

"Okay, Mr Dictionary… what's the wrong reason?"

"Because you think you deserve the pain," Bruce said. "Because you want to be punished for something. Hurt for something. Degraded and used because you don't think you worthy anything better."

Tony gave Bruce an incredulous look. "Bruce, my greatest friend - I'm Tony fucking Stark. I _deserve_ nothing less than a god."

Bruce, despite his worry, snorted a laugh. "And Loki's gone and made you immortal. An immortal Tony Stark. I feel sorry for the world."

"Hey!"

The pair walked out into the top floor penthouse, Tony chewing his tongue restlessly. Having the Avengers here was always a strain on him. This had rapidly become his and Loki's space and having them here felt… awkward. Especially as Natasha disappeared into the bedroom.

"Hey! Get out of there, no snooping. Honestly, can you try not to be a spy for all of five minutes?"

"Sir, there is a news flash that I believe you will be interested in," Jarvis opined dryly.

As Jarvis turned on the huge, flat screen television built into the wall, the Avengers looked up. Natasha walking back into the room and all turned their attention to the screen. A blonde reporter, standing on the steps of what looked like a court house appeared.

"Oh, Holly Price, Network News," Tony said with a smile. "I've slept with her."

"Who haven't you slept with?" Barton asked.

"Nice try Legolas, but you're not my type."

"In an unexpected turn of events, Justin Hammer, the CEO of Hammer Industries, who had been serving a five year imprisonment for-"

"Being a jackass," Tony commented, but Natasha shushed him.

"-and for various minor offenses-"

"Like being a jackass."

"Shut up, Tony."

"-has had his sentence over turned by the Supreme Court as new and damning evidence concerning the involvement of Ivan Vanko in the attack at Stark Expo recently came to light."

Tony rolled his eyes. Clearly Loki's had a hand in this, the git. "How did he manage that?" Tony muttered angrily.

"When asked to comment, Justin Hammer had a brief statement-"

"He's never had a brief statement in his-"

"Shh."

Justin Hammer, standing in his stupid suit - expense, yes, but you had to be able to pull it off or else you just looked like a guy playing dress up.

Tony Stark could pull off a suit. Class.

Hammer gave a little laugh, spreading his hands. "Wow. Gosh. You know, you have faith in the great American legal system to always find the truth, and it does. It does, my friends. I have been declared innocent and I thank the Supreme Court for their really very courageous way of demanding the truth and I thank them. Truly."

"Mr Hammer," called a reporter. "Do you hold any grievance against Tony Stark for your imprisonment?"

"You know," Justin said, with a wave of a hand, "Tony Stark and I are old friends. I get it, I mean, I get it. If I were in Tony Stark's shoes and I saw went when down that day, from his point of view, yeah. Sure, I'd suspect me too. But Tony actually came to visit me, which was great, really good of him. And you know, we work with the same people, we have a lot in common. We're, gosh, like two knights sparring in a court, and stuff like that. It's fun and we both respect each other greatly."

"Isn't Tony Stark's new girlfriend an employee of yours?"

"Fucking gossip columnist," Tony muttered bitterly. "Never liked her. Complete bore in the bedroom."

"I don't want to really get into who Tony Stark is _doing_ - who can ever keep track, you know? But Martha Lockley is a brilliant engineer and a good friend."

The Avengers were staring at him as the media coverage on Justin finally gave way to the weather.

Apparently it was going to be stormy into the weekend.

"You went to visit him?" Bruce asked.

"A couple of months ago," Natasha said. She raised an eyebrow at Tony. "You think I don't keep tabs on what everyone is doing? I'm assuming it wasn't a social call."

Tony grumbled under his breath. Fucking Hammer. Fucking Loki. Now he was backed into a corner. "I went to gloat."

"After so long?"

"I was bored."

Natasha wasn't satisfied, obviously, but didn't push it.

"Who is this man?" Thor asked speculatively.

"A git."

"Industrial rival of Tony's," Bruce filled in.

"Two knights sparring in a court, he said," Thor mused pensively. "It recalls something..."

Tony felt him stomach flip over. "Well it would do to you, Galahad. So, where's that pizza?"

"What does it remind you of?" Steve asked.

"The pizza I ordered, on my card, which I have yet to have a slice of-"

"Recently, my brother spoke of… two knights sparring for his entertainment," Thor's brow furrowed as he tried to remember. "I remember him saying something like that but I cannot recall… but it was recently."

_Damn it Thor, why is it you choose now to become perceptive?_

"You think Loki could be in league with this Hammer?" Steve asked.

Tony snorted. "We'll call it the League of the Ineffectual Prima Donnas."

_Please, please don't let that get back to him or I am so fucked._

"Perhaps that's how Loki's getting his mercenaries?" Natasha suggested.

_Great going guys. I'd be impressed if you had all figured this all out months ago._

Steve stood. "We should look into this."

"To the Captain America-obile!" Tony snorted.

Thor waved his hand, "No. My brother is now in the Asgardian Court, he is-"

"Still operating on Earth," Steve said, in a voice which suggested it wasn't taking opinions today. "He still employs mercenaries. And I don't believe that he is quite as confined as you say he is."

"You call me a liar?"

"I think Loki has escaped plenty times before. What's he doing right now? Can you tell me?"

Thor looked away.

Steve squared his shoulders. "I'll report back to Fury. Tony, can you and Natasha go to Hammer? See what he has to say?"

Tony felt his eyes trying to drag over to the bar. The long bar on the slightly raised platform where Loki had made it clear last time how he felt about Tony _dropping in_ on Justin Hammer.

The pain. The spanking. The whispered words of violent command…

_The incredible sex?_

"Yeah, sure," Tony said, grabbing his jacket. "Let's go."

xxx

In the modern and tacky office, Tony reached out, raised a silver metal ball and dropped it with a satisfying click against its fellows. As the furthest ball swung back again it developed into a satisfyingly rhythm of clicking.

"You've been spending a lot of time with Lockley, recently."

"Yup."

_Click, click, click._

"How's that going?"

"Fine."

_Click… click… click._

"Odd that there's nothing in the bedroom."

Tony reached out and restarted the clicking, the shiny metal ball swinging across and starting the gentle rhythm again.

_Click, click, click._

"There's plenty going on in the bedroom, but thanks for your concern."

"I mean a tooth brush. Underwear. A nail file."

Tony stared over at the woman. "What sort of thing are you and Barton into?" he asked with morbid curiosity.

Before Natasha could answer, the door opened and Justin walked in. He was talking into a Bluetooth headphone. "Yes. Yes of course, Senator. Why don't we do drinks and talk about that _massive weapons contract_ you're looking for? Have your people call my people and we'll do lunch."

Tony rolled his eyes. "Hey, genius, your earpiece isn't turned on."

Justin paused, tapping the earpiece hesitantly. The red light switched on as it powered up. He gave Tony a harsh look, the colour rising up his neck. "Must have switched off while I was talking," he said, defiantly. "It plays up sometimes."

"Why, did you make it?"

"Boys," Natasha said, interposing herself. "Mr Hammer-"

"Oh, Justin, please."

Natasha smiled gently. You must walk around with a wonderful sense of calm, Tony mused, when you knew you could break necks. "Mr Hammer. We've come to talk to you about Loki."

Justin affected a completely unconvincing air of confusion. "Huh, what? Who?"

"Loki, the Prince of Asgard and the God of Mischief. You're working with him, aren't you?"

Justin walked around his desk. "Please, sit. Coffee? What do you want, Black Tie? Macchiato? Kopi susu? Eiskaffee?"

_I'll bet you your company against my company that you don't know what half of those are._

"Are you working with Loki?" Natasha asked, sitting down.

Tony sat in the chair next to her, leaning back with a petulant, childish air. He leaned toward briefly to pull a bead on the Newton's Cradle, restarting the clicking.

_Click, click, click._

"He's a business partner," Justin said.

That surprised the two Avengers. They hadn't been expecting a confirmation, just Justin dancing around the issue.

"And a very lucrative one," the ferret faced man added. "One who clearly knows enough to bring his business to Hammer Industries rather than our lesser competitors..." Here he gave Tony a malevolent smile, which, on Justin, looked like constipation.

"He's trying to destroy the world," Tony pointed out.

Justin Hammer raised his hands. "I sell him the stuff. It's up to him what he does with it."

Tony knew the attitude. Tony had lived in that attitude his entire life before Afghanistan.

_Click… click… click._

Now Hammer gave them an especially devious look. "What are you going to do? Bring me to the Supreme Court on a charge of aiding a Nordic god?"

Bastard had a point. The Avengers were not really an investigative body. That was more SHEILD's problem. Even then, the world was slow to accept that there were Nordic gods and giant lizards and alien invasions. Even when presented with the evidence. It was going to be difficult to make a charge stick with Hammer. Not until he was caught actually being the out and out villain.

_Even then he had a fucking guardian angel in Loki, didn't he?_

Tony felt the twisting knot of green jealously curling in his stomach.

It irked Tony horribly. He reached out and started the clicking of beads, watching them swinging hypnotically_._

_Click, click, click, click, click, click, click, click-_

"You've done remarkably in the last few months, even though you've only just been released, various high powered organisations are already banging down your door for weaponry," Natasha said.

"I'm also branching out into energy sources," Justin said with another pointed glance at Tony.

Tony fought back the urge to ram the little rat's head into the table a few times.

Because Loki wouldn't be happy.

_Fuck. Because Loki wouldn't be happy. Why the hell was that a reason?_

"What about Von Doom?" Natasha asked. "Do you sell to him?"

Hammer shuddered. "Creepy guy? Big black cape and mask, I don't think so. What kind of weirdo wears a mask, right?"

Tony smiled humourlessly.

_Click, click, click._

"No. I don't do any business with him."

"Can you prove it?" Natasha asked.

"Can I prove I don't do something? No. I can't prove I haven't been abducted by aliens, either."

"But it would explain so much," Tony sighed.

Tony reached over and restarted the clicking on the Newton's Cradle, only to be met by Justin's flapping hands. "You know what, enough, alright! Enough with the clicking!" Hammer picked up the cradle, shoved it in a drawer and slammed it shut.

He laughed nervously, throwing his hands up at Tony, talking to Natasha. "He's a child, do you believe it?"

Natasha stood. "We can't go after you without unsubstantial proof; something we can use. But we can make life very difficult for you, Mr Hammer."

Justin stood too with a shrug, "Well, I'm sorry I couldn't be more help."

As Natasha walked to the door, Tony breathed walked round the desk until he was nose to nose with the man. "This isn't over, Justin. I don't care if Loki's protecting you. I got you put in prison once, I'll do it again."

Justin laughed and responded as quietly. "You think I'm afraid of you? You? You're a joke! Oh, flying around in your fancy suit, pretending to be better than the rest of us when underneath it all, you're just as flawed as anyone, aren't you Tony? At least I'm only selling my weaponry to the Asgardian prick, not myself. You'll put me in prison? Whatever you say, _boy._"

Tony's world fell out from under his feet, falling into the darkness with nothing to hold on to. His stomach lurched and he felt the sudden surge in adrenaline.

He stared at a darkly triumphant Justin Hammer.

He smiled back.

And punched Hammer in the face so hard his nose cracked under Tony's fist.

xxx

"You hit the CEO of Hammer Industries in the face?"

"He started it."

"That's not how Natasha tells it," Bruce said, passing him a drink.

Tony drank and glared at nothing. He rubbed his face. "Listen, do me a favour and get out of here. He won't come while you're here."

"All the more reason for me to stay."

"I- no, Bruce. I want to see him."

Bruce looked at him seriously. "What will he do?"

"He'll be mad. But it generally resolves itself." He rolled his eyes at his friend's face. Bruce was forcing himself to stay calm but there was an anxiety there. And a dark spark. "Have you ever seen me with injuries?"

"The first time-"

"Was the first time. Doesn't count."

"And I don't see you every day. The days I don't see you, how do I know you're not curled up in a ball, bleeding and dying?"

"How do you know I'm not doing that without Loki?"

"Tony..." Bruce looked miserable.

Tony finished his drink. "I wish I hadn't told you. I don't want you to be miserable all the time just because I'm having sex. Because I'm having a fucking fantastic time."

_Remember that when he turns up. Because you're going to have to remember why you want him so bad now this has happened._

"You didn't tell me, I caught you. You should have told me. And I... care. About you. You're the only one..." Bruce was looking at him oddly. "When you're alone... and you find... someone. Anyone. It doesn't matter man or woman or... god, even a dog or something. But someone who's there and who understands. Like you've been living on a desert island your whole life, never seeing anyone and then you meet someone. It doesn't matter who or what they are. They're that person."

Tony didn't say anything, because he understood. Tony lived on an island, created by his own genius, arrogance and pride and when those few people did arrive; Rhodey, Pepper, Bruce… and now Loki, they were important. They were important in a way that people with lots of friends could never understand.

"I hear ya," Tony said. "I'm fine, Bruce."

Bruce stood. "I'll leave."

"Swing by tomorrow. I want to show you a new idea I've got for the arc reactor. I think I know how to make it cheaper."

Bruce left but very reluctantly.

Tony counted under his breath. Loki shimmed into focus in front of him. "Wow. All of nine seconds."

Loki did not look amused.

Tony pulled a bottle towards him. "Don't give me that look. I'm not any happier with you."

"Really?" Loki said coldly.

Tony looked at him with a tense and unhappy expression. "What have you been telling Hammer? About us?"

"Nothing as I recall."

"You're lying. He..." Tony stood angrily, filling a glass to be brim and knocking it back in two gulps. "Fucking hell, Loki, he called me boy!"

To Tony's surprise, this seemed to catch Loki as unaware as it had caught him. "I... did not know that."

"Well he did. And that's you. You understand?" Tony was gesturing now, angry and... disappointed in his god. "I don't know what you did. You probably just slipped and said it without thinking. Well, I keep to your rules. You make me! I can't put a foot out of line on your crazy rules without being made to regret it. What do I do when _you_ break them? Huh?" Tony rolled his eyes and finished the bottle. "I get drunk," he finished bitterly.

He threw himself back into a chair, tired and feeling sick. The idea of Hammer knowing that deep inside Tony Stark, the Iron Man was just..._boy_. It made him ill. It made him angry. It made him realise that he didn't want this.

"I've been living in this fucking nightmare so long I'd forgotten I can make it end," Tony said bitterly.

"It's never going to end."

"And if I go to Thor? Maybe I should see what he thinks."

"Sit back down, Tony."

Tony was walking to the lift. "I only have your word on it that this is permanent. There's always a way."

_Conveniently forgetting that both Jane and Frigga have told you it's permanent._

_What the fuck, there has to be a way._

"Sit back down, boy."

"Don't call me that. Don't you ever call me that again," Tony said harshly, looking angrily at Loki. "Don't you get it? I'm done with you."

"Sit down. Now."

Tony had one foot inside the elevator. "I don't know how you think you can make this better."

"Wouldn't you like to find out?"

_Interesting..._

Tony glared over his shoulder. "You're not listening to a word I'm saying. It's over."

He walked into the elevator. The doors closed. He was walking to his car. He was driving out the tower. And Loki was nowhere to be seen.

Tony drummed his fingers in anxiety, waiting for the lights to change. Thor was in a hotel with Jane on the other side of town. Bruce was in a little apartment not too far from the tower.

_Fuck._

_What to do?_

To Tony's future shame, he drove around and around the city for almost an hour, before returning like a whipped puppy to the tower. His heart was in his mouth as he climbed the floor, back once again in the lift. "Jarvis, is he still here?"

"Yes Sir."

"What is he doing?"

"He sat down on the couch not long after you departed and has not moved since."

Tony walked into the penthouse. He could see the back of Loki's head. One of his long arms was stretched out over the back on the sofa and he seemed intent on the view in front of him.

He wasn't sure what to do. Tony dithered for a while before coughed. "I'm back."

It was met with silence.

"I couldn't remember where Thor was staying."

Nothing.

Tony sighed and walked over. He sat back in the chair he had once sat in during their _big argument_ before the binding. Tony most definitely didn't want this descending into that. He gazed at Loki's tense face. After a long silence, the god turned to glare. "How many times are you going to threaten to walk away?"

"As many times as it takes."

"Takes for what?"

"For you to take me seriously."

That wasn't the most diplomatic answer Tony could have given, but it at least had the advantage of being honest. Honestly always catches liars on the back foot.

"Do you want to stay or not?" Loki asked angrily.

"I'm here, aren't I?"

"Get over here," Loki growled. Tony joined Loki on the sofa. "Get it all off."

Tony stripped slowly, Loki's hands adding to the shedding. Long, smooth fingers stroked and pawed at him, exciting him. Loki's clothes shimmered. Jeans and a dark green shirt.

Tony bit his lip. "Maybe," Tony breathed against Loki's mouth, "keep the dress shirt, but a tie? And suit pants."

Loki smiled gently and made the corrections, his clothes shimmering back into Tony's wish. Tony ran his eyes over the man. Sexy. And Tony's.

Tony's teeth nibbled Loki's lip, a hand reaching out to capture the tie, curling it around his hand. He pulled that divine face closer, kissing him with heated desire.

_Still mad with him, remember. He's a cheap bastard who gossiped to Hammer._

The thought coiled venom throughout his body and Tony let go. Loki's fingers were playing with his face, and the god's eyes narrowed briefly as Tony pulled away.

"Yes," Loki said quietly. "I referred to you as boy in his company. Only once, I'm sure of that. For such a vermin of a man, he is clearly more perceptive than I gave him credit for."

Tony didn't answer.

"He will be punished."

"How?"

"Pain."

Tony shuddered at Loki's tone. It was serious and it was deadly. "Pain like what you do to me?" He asked coldly.

"Pain like I would never do to you, Tony," Loki's sighed, stroking Tony's face again.

The suit, the shirt, the tie... Tony was loving every minute of his Loki all finely dressed. Loki was coming into Tony's world now. He wasn't being taken and overwhelmed by some Nordic God. He had found this guy at one of his charity events, smooth talked and impressed him as Tony always did. They had fumbled their way back to the tower and...

Tony leaned up and kissed the man, losing himself in the rich taste. "You don't get it. I feel like I'm walking on a knife edge."

"Sounds like fun," Loki purred.

Tony scowled. "Like fuck it is. I'm turning into a nervous wreck. Natasha must know, Thor must know. Steve must know. Is he looking at me oddly? Is he talking about me? Is she planning something? I don't know how much more I can-"

"Tony… let me love you. Let me make you forget all of this."

"Yeah, but what happens when the orgasm's over? None of these problems will have gone away. All I'll have had is a moment to forget about them."

"Then I shall make you cum again. And again. Make you cum until your brain melts and you can no longer remember your fears, or your problems… or even your name. All you'll know is my name as you cum and cum again, it'll be the only word to pass your lips."

"_Loki…"_ Tony breathed exultantly as the image flooded him. Even just _talking_ about sex with Loki was as good as the real thing. Tony smiled. "Come on, my god. Talk dirty to me," Tony chuckled.

Loki lay back on the sofa, Tony crawling up so he was lying, still naked, across Loki's chest. Loki's hands were stroking gently over Tony's ass and back. Tony kissed and bit and licked Loki's face. He reached up to gently untie Loki's tie, unbuttoning the top button and delighting in the pale skin revealed.

"First the zombie hoard and now this," Tony muttered angrily. "When do I get to punish you?"

Loki snorted. "Dream on, my pet."

"We should have a swear jar or something. Yeah, that's it. Every time you do a 'scheming bastard' moment, you have to put a coin or something in the jar. Enough coins and I get buy something."

"What are you bleating on about boy?"

"I get to buy a get out of jail free card or something."

"Are there cards that allow you out of jail?" Loki asked, confused.

Tony rolled his eyes. "For the love of… we're playing monopoly one day. The point is, you want me to be your boy or your partner?"

"My boy."

"Why do I fucking-" Tony tried to sit up, tired and angry, but hands appeared on the backs of his shoulders, pushing him back down onto Loki's body.

"And my partner," Loki added, gently.

Tony struggled against the clone, but only succeeded in rubbing up against the clothed Loki beneath him. Tony went deadly still as his body pulsed suddenly. His cock had brushed up against the material of Loki's trousers and now he felt the inevitable response.

He made a quiet, desperate noise in his throat and tried to leave the sofa. The clone behind him forced him down on Loki again.

Loki petted Tony's hair as Tony closed his eyes and tried to will away the growing erection. "Swear jar?"

Tony breathed deeply, tried to refocus himself, his eyes still firmly closed. "I shouldn't have to put up with all this shit. You still haven't even fucking said sorry. I don't get any way of… of… disciplining you, do I? Fucking shit, it's not fucking fair."

Tony groaned as he felt the hard prodding and a solid cock pushing in between his cheeks. He grunted and growled as the clone pushed hard, finally stopping as the man's balls pressed into Tony's ass.

"You're in the wrong," Tony spat, not looking at Loki. "You are. You fucked up. You went and put a fucking stick in the fucking wheel spoke and I'm the one who got thrown off the fucking handle bars and here we fucking are and I'm the one getting fucked. It's not fucking fair."

The clone began grinding and pushing in as far as he could go. Every thrust resulted in Tony being lurched forward.

Tony struggled now as the clone put its weight on Tony's hips, holding him and pushing him down. His cock came to press against Loki's trousers and with every thrust of the clone, his cock rubbed up against Loki.

The friction was creating a heat that Tony furiously tried to ignore.

"Open your eyes, Tony," Loki crooned, rubbing Tony's face with the smooth flat of his thumb.

Tony pulled his face away, his eyes still definitely closed. "Just wake me when you're done," he snarled.

"This isn't about me-"

"It's always fucking about you."

"Hammer will be punished. Look at me, Tony-"

_No!_

"Tony. Look at me, you have my word."

_Don't open your eyes._

"And how do I stop you from doing this shit?" Tony asked the darkness behind his eyelids angrily. "You've put the brakes on my drinking, my partying, my fast cars, my womanising, everything! What do I get in return? When do my opinions matter in this fucked up relationship?"

"I love you, Tony."

_Don't open your eyes._

As much as he tried to ignore it, his body didn't care what his mind wanted. There was a heavy aching growing in his balls, his cock pulsing and twitching, ready to convulse and explode. His eyes behind his eyelids were dilated, his lips, neck and cheeks rose red, his panting, the sweat...

His hips were rising and grinding back against the clone. His limbs were shaking.

_Don't open your eyes or it's all over._

"You don't know whether you love me or hate me," Loki said with an honest chuckle.

"I don't," Tony gasped. "I really don't know."

"What do you want? What do I have to promise you to get you to open your eyes, look at me and cum?"

"You won't keep any promise you make."

Tony felt Loki's hand suddenly grip his hair and yank back his head painfully. Tony yelled but kept his eyes shut. He heard Loki's voice, now angry. "I keep plenty, flárárð þræll! I let you have your stupid safe word. I let you remain on this primitive planet. I-"

"Oh fuck!" Tony whimpered his tone urgent and panicky. As the hair had been yanked out of his scalp, the pain had shot through his body, startling him and arousing him. He squirmed against Loki's body, an animal in heat, the friction building. "Fuck, fuck, fuck!"

"Everything I do, I do for you, you selfish little slut," Loki growled.

"Yes, yes, I am. I'm your slut," Tony slurred frantically.

Tony's face was smacked hard. Tony groaned and licked his lips, his thrusting growing wilder.

The hand was still holding his head back violently. "I… make mistakes. _I make mistakes_. But you love me and you will forgive me everything. Do you understand? You will forgive me every sin."

"Yes! Yes!"

"You will never abandon me; you will never doubt my love or loyalty. You will always be faithful, you will always believe in me."

"Anything! Anything!"

"You will be mine, Tony."

Tony forced his eyes open. Loki's face was so beautiful, so perfect. Loki was making him feel like this. His Loki. Tony mouth fell open as his brain worked furiously for that… that something that will- Tony blinked as it appeared in his mind so perfectly. "Ek fylgja þú, minn ástugr guð," he panted.

_I belong to you, my benevolent god._

Loki's face, so angry and snarling, dropped into a picture of surprise. Then everything in his face smoothed out into gentle lines and a small smile. "Cum for me."

Tony thrust hard into Loki's body one last time as his clone forced him forward equally violently. The almost savage force against his prostate made him explode. Tony screamed out, one long wail and collapsed against Loki's chest as he sprayed out on Loki's clothes and the couch.

He gargled and groaned as his body turned itself inside out. For the first time since the binding had taken hold, he felt himself blacking out.

When he woke up, he found himself curled up, still on the couch but alone, covered with a blanket.

_Alone, but never really alone. Not anymore._

He rubbed his face, trying to recall the brain cells that had fled to the furthest reaches of his mind in self-defense. When he finally remembered his own name, he licked his lips and croaked out one word. "Loki."

"Yes, Tony."

"Stop fucking with me."

"I'm sorry. It's a natural reaction. You're an intelligent man, Tony. But your weakness is sex and I find that so easy… and so delightful to exploit."

"You've fucked up twice. I want something if you do it again."

"Alright, love. I agree."

"Good."


	45. Chapter 45: Bad Day

The call had gone out; another day, another mutant invasion.

"You see," Tony called over his shoulder to Steve as he hurried to his suit, "if I had been home, I could be there already. But oh no. You call me out to the Helicarrier and three hours later, there's an invasion in New York. Fucking typical."

"You're right Tony," Steve snapped at him. "We really should have planned that better."

"I'm just saying," Tony said and shut the door in the super soldier's face. "Could have been there already. But oh no."

He muttered and swore his way across the room, grabbing his suit-in-a-case. The last metal panels were just sliding into place, ready to head out when Natasha walked in. He snapped up his visor, looking at her expectantly.

"Well? We have any news? Don't tell me it's right by the tower because that's really going to wind me up."

"The main body of the invasion seems to be on 10th Avenue."

"Right. And I'm at 200 Park Avenue."

"Yes."

"So it's about a half an hour's walk away."

"Yes."

"Oh for fuck's sake, this is ridiculous! I just know I'm going to have a whole day of this fucking luck aren't I? I can feel it coming. This is going to be a bad day."

"Did you see in the news? Hammer's in hospital. Some sort of attack."

"Don't try to cheer me up, Red. I know today's going to be a bad one."

"Someone broke his jaw. It's been wired shut."

"Don't look at me. I was in the tower."

"I know. I had it confirmed." She turned, locking the door behind them. "There's no toothbrush at your apartment."

_What is that, spy code? _Tony stared. "Er… what?"

"There's nothing at your flat," Natasha said. "When women spend an indecent amount of time in a guy's flat, you'll find things. A bra. Perfume. A hairbrush. Things that women need, that they don't share. There's none of that. Tony… is the reason you won't tell us anything, the reason you won't let Lockley in for an interview because you're dating a man?"

Tony jerked back. He couldn't help it; it was practically an involuntary response.

Natasha sighed. "You should have just said, Tony. I've been going crazy trying to figure this out. It makes sense now."

Tony shuddered. "You don't have any fucking right, you-"

"Dating a guy isn't a crime, Tony. I get it, I understand now. Why you won't let anyone in. Why you balk at the idea of an interview. You're so bound up with your image; it must be a truly horrifying idea for this to come to light in such a way. I understand. And I'll help you. I will."

Tony stared at the woman carefully.

_I don't… I can't tell if she knows._

"This is _my_ life."

"I know. Tony, I know. I will help you. No one but you, Fury and I will have to know. All I need is his name. I can do a background check, make sure he's legit and that's it. No one says anything if you don't want them to."

"How-"

"Heterosexual couples and homosexual couples generally have different things in their bedroom."

"Wh-"

"Heterosexual couples don't tend to have so much oil," Natasha said delicately.

Tony looked away, angry and intimidated, heat rising up his face and making him nauseous. "It's my life, my own private life. It has nothing to do with any of you fuckers!"

"I know." Natasha said. "Life's a bitch and then you die."

Tony paused and felt himself laugh. "Life's a bitch." He laughed again. "Oh fuck." he said, running his fingers through his hair. "Bruce knows."

"I figured."

_Can I trust Bruce not to say who?_

"He doesn't approve."

"Of him?"

"Of him. Of what we do. In bed."

"Sadomasochism."

Tony's head snapped up. "What the fucks that matter with you? How do you-"

"It's really not that hard," Natasha said incredulously. "Your behaviour! Your body language! Your bruises! Your scar! Tony, it doesn't take a lot of genius to figure this out. And what you do with machines I do with people. You see a machine working and instinctually know what components it must have. Well, potato po-tah-to. It just didn't fit when I thought Lockley was your partner."

"S-Scar?"

Natasha nodded but didn't say anything. Fuck knows how horrible this might have been if she had. "But… you're happy. I'm good with people. I think I could tell if you were falling into a black depression, or letting yourself get hurt. And, whoever this guy is, he holds you back from your more destructive tendencies. He's… been good for you. So I didn't see any need to bring it up."

"You thought it was Lockley."

She shrugged. "I thought it was just a dominatrix thing. She certainly struck me as that type. I'm assuming you're paying her to play the part for the cameras?"

Tony was still. _Why not? If Red was creating the lie, just let her go with it. Then she'll feel all smug for being right and won't press the inconsistences._

"I thought so. Though that's pretty risky to let her have that sort of power, but we'll leave it at that if you're sure she won't go to the papers. Tony, you could have just come to me. I'm here to make sure everyone stays safe. I'm not a gossip and I'm not a tell all. I just want to make sure you're safe. Give me his name. I'll check out the background and make sure he's who he says he is. I'm sure he is. But better safe than sorry."

Tony opened his mouth. _Loki._ "Give me some time to decide."

"Tony-"

"You just walked in here and said, hey, you know that huge secret that you've been hiding from your friends, your boss, the world? Well, I know, I know! Like some demented five year old with an uzi, so don't get on your fucking high horse! Give me a few fucking days to crawl back out of this shit load of embarrassment you just dumped on me!"

Natasha backed down. "Okay, fine. I keep telling you, I understand. Everything is so much clearer. I get what's been going on now so I'm not as worried as I was with Lockley. Because you and Lockley just weren't right, there was no reason for you to be acting the way you were acting with Lockley. But now I get it. I want to help you."

Tony rubbed his face. "I know, I know. I know. Look, just… just give me… he's not… he's… He. He and I. I belong to him. I'm his." Saying it out loud… to someone other than Bruce... "He's a _guy_."

"Yeah."

"I wasn't even into guys before him."

"He must be special."

"He's…" Tony looked away. "If you even think of-"

"Let me check him then I'll butt out. I'll tell Steve it's Lockley you're dating. I'll tell him to back off, that everything is fine. I will spin any lie you want me to. So long as I know, I can help you."

Another day, another mutant invasion. Another reason to be distracted in battle.

_Fuck the fucking Black fucking Widow and her fucking psychological Sherlock fucking Holmes bullshit. Noticing the oil, noticing the scars, putting two and two together, coupled with the erratic behaviour and yadda yadda yadda fuck shit._

Of course, of all the Avengers, she'd noticed. And now he was in a corner. He'd have to give her a name. And that wasn't what was worrying him, because he could create a fake identity so much better than Hammer.

_Hammer, who's in the hospital with a broken jaw._

_Mental note – punch Loki in the face then fuck him into the bed._

Tony could create a fake identity that even the great fucking Black Widow wouldn't be able to see through.

The problem was, how long could he keep stringing out this lie?

Bruce, from what Tony could tell, had backed up Tony's story when Natasha had cornered him on the carrier. Bruce had confirmed it was a man, who he had met once or twice, who was having a dom sub relationship with Tony.

In fact, Bruce's assurance that he had given Tony a medical check-up seemed to do more to alleviate Natasha's concern than anything else.

Give her a fake identity to check into, and all would be well. Ask Loki to take on the form of another man and bump into Natasha one day and that would be that. The only reason this hadn't worked before was because Natasha didn't believe Lockley was Tony's secret.

She would believe that it was the 'man' thing. Because Tony was desperate to hide a homosexual relationship and she was half right.

_Actually, I'm desperate to hide a homosexual relationship with an insane god._

Tony swung around a skyscraper and fired a rocket at big, lizard like creature.

Big was the wrong world. Try, overly large lizard. Giant lizard. How about: a lizard the size of a plane.

Or just the classic: Holy fuck! That's a fucking huge reptile!

Tony killed another and grimaced at its silent death fails. "How many of these things are there, because, and I'll be honest with you guys, it's kind of freaking me out."

"I'm counting twenty on the north corner," Steve said.

"Ten over here" Natasha called.

Tony shuddered and lasered one through the head, stopping it dead. "Well, they're making up in numbers what they lack in resilience. They're fairly easy to kill."

These things had just appeared and rampaged through the city, eating anything and anyone they came across. They weren't organised. The Avengers weren't dealing with a master race of lizards here. They were just… lizards. Okay, freakishly mammoth lizards, but just lizards which scuttled along the highways eating people, cars and mail boxes.

"Today, the Avengers are pest control," Tony said dismally.

"Welcome to a life of public service," Barton said letting an arrow fly.

"Great. And what sort of dental do we get?"

Tony followed the main street and scythed down any he saw with lasers. He didn't envy the clean-up crew today.

"Hey," he called, "I have a joke about lizards."

He heard a dark mutter from Natasha, "It's honestly like being the only adult in a kindergarten."

"What's the definition of a nervous breakdown? A chameleon on a tartan rug."

There was a silence.

"What is tartan, Tony?" Thor asked curiously. There was a pause. "And what is a chameleon?"

Tony rolled his eyes. "Forget it."

Tony's sensors registered a strange increase in energy not far off. It piqued his curiosity, especially as he began to realise that the lizards around the immediate area were changing their direction to follow it.

"Hang on guys, I think something's up."

He broke away from the main fight and locked in on the energy source. When he got there, he found there were half a dozen lizards congregating in one area, their large tongues waving out in long strokes, like they were tasting the air.

There was definitely something attracting them to this spot. He dipped a little lower in the air, noticing a light coming from a machine in the centre of the writhing group of green.

As a creature shifted, he suddenly saw a horribly familiar cloak.

"Gave up on the robots?" He called.

Doom turned, his metal face turning up to stare at the hovering red and gold man. "Robots would not have been the best choice for this plan."

"So you chose giant green lizards? Okay…" Tony said. "And when they fail… flying monkeys?"

"Your Bruce Banner isn't the only scientist who saw potential in Gamma Radiation." Doom said.

"So these things are Lizard-Hulks? Answer me this, how exactly did you not find yourself creating Lizard-Hulks and suddenly think 'what the fuck am I doing with my life?' Just a question, take your time."

"How are you getting along with my little gift, Tony?"

_Fucking code._ "Haven't really looked at it, to be honest. Been a little busy."

"With Martha Lockley, I take it? There have been a lot of photos of that striking creature in the papers, Tony. She seems like a-"

"Whoah, whoah, whoah. Listen, I've had some experience with arch-villains so let me stop you right there. Are you threatening my girlfriend? Possibly planning on kidnapping, killing or maiming my girlfriend?" Tony smiled broadly. "Because I'd _love_ to see you try."

"I can't stand around and banter with you all day Tony. I really have far too much to do." Doom turned back the machine and flicked a switch. It began to pulse.

"Sir, it is an EM pulse," Jarvis warned, even in his monotone sounding alarmed.

Tony shot out a rocket from his arm, but it exploded against an imperceptible barrier.

"What happens, Tony, when a man in an electric suit is hit by an EM pulse?" Doom called up in an amused voice.

_He fries._

Tony sped away quickly but there was nowhere he would be able to escape the pulse. He had to get as far away from the lizards as he could. He landed some distance off from Thor who was just dispatching a lizard with a thunderous blow to the head.

That's when his sensors warned him the detonation was imminent. "Eject!" he commanded.

His suit flew off him, sections deactivating and falling away. He stumbled out of the boots quickly as everything around him was hit by the invisible pulse. Street lamps went out, buildings fell into darkness. His suit lay inactive and discarded.

It was fried and he wouldn't be able to restart it.

"Shit," he said bitterly.

"What was that?" Thor called over.

"EM fucking pulse, he's knocked out the city!"

"Who?"

"Doom!" Tony shouted angrily.

"Doom with giant lizards?" Steve asked, making his way over. "That doesn't make sense."

"What about _any_ of this _makes sense_?" Tony demanded. "Doom, fucking Lizard-Hulks and Natasha. This is not the worst day of my life but it's getting a place in the hall of fucking fame."

"Tony's right," Barton said, throwing him a curious look. Though Tony was willing to bet this wasn't the first time someone had been pissed off with his girlfriend and it wouldn't be the last. "I saw the whole thing. Doom was controlling them somehow."

The archer was looking angry as he threw down his mechanical quiver. The rotor which lined up his arrows was, obviously, powered by electricity and after the EM pulse, it was useless.

"Where is he?"

Barton shrugged. "Disappeared; I couldn't get a track on him. The lizards are mostly dead."

"_Mostly_ dead?"

"Some of them are still... twitching."

Tony pulled himself back together; his moment of mourning for his suit had passed. "Lizards instead of robots. Robots would have been destroyed by an EM pulse."

"But where did he get the lizards from?" Steve asked.

"Well, you know when you have a bunch of lizards and some Gamma radiation and think, why the hell not?"

"I can honestly say the thought has never occurred to me, Tony," Steve said wryly.

"My, what a sheltered life you must lead." Tony sighed and looked around. "Where are the Nannies?"

SHIELD's clean-up crew would descend after every fight and try to repair the damage and remove anything that could lead to trouble. A thankless task made all the more wearisome by the billionaire jerk in the red suit calling them Nannies.

"On their way."

"They need to pack up my suit," Tony said.

"They'll see to it."

"Tell them I'm going to be going through every inch of it – if I see even a suggestion of tampering..." Tony warned. He didn't trust those techs SHIELD employed. Creeping little young gremlins always drooling whenever they got their mitts on something new.

All in all, he wasn't a fan of employees of SHIELD.

They most definitely weren't fans of his.

There was now another reason for Tony's ill and erratic temper today. Among the heroes now in just his under suit (a black tight material almost like a diver's suit to make the armour more comfortable to wear) he felt very exposed. He was stripped of what made him a hero. Even Barton, without his arrows, could still do his Kung-Fu thing. He still had knives and guns.

Tony could make scathing jokes and get on peoples nerves. And science. He could do science. He walked away, heading towards the site where the EM Pulse generator was.

"Don't go too far, Tony," Steve called.

"Yes mum."

When he got there, the machine, Doom and his lizards were gone.

He tried to put himself in Doom's mask. What was so important that he had to knock out a city? What was here? A bank, a hospital, a museum… couple of shops. There was nothing that Tony would have considered important.

"My friend." Thor called. Tony glanced over. Thor stood on a mound of rubble, haloed by the dust still hanging in the air, looking down at him. "The transport is on its way and the rest of us will be departing. Do you wish to come?"

"No. I'm going to grab a cab and get back to the tower. It's not far. Tell SHIELD to send my suit there."

"As you wish, my friend."

"Hang on," Tony said. He walked over to where the machine had been located. "I think there's something…" he pulled debris away and found a small box. It was black and looked inoffensive were it not for the red blinking light and STARK INDUSTRIES printed in white across it. "Fuck."

Tony dropped the debris he had been holding up back onto the box and ran quickly away, counting down in his head.

The box exploded within fifteen seconds of activation. Tony had been very proud of it when he had designed it.

It sent a kinetic force which didn't destroy but pushed. It was a bomb that wasn't designed to be used in the first strike. It was meant to be dropped from carriers when the city was already in pieces. It created a wave of energy which picked up anything in its path and hurled it away in a radius of up to a hundred meters.

_Just be frank about this._

_Hi. I'm Tony. And I'm a Weapons Manufacturer._

If you were going to be blunt, what it was designed to do was kill anyone left alive after the first explosions without damaging buildings. This bomb was meant to slaughter people in their hundreds and nothing more.

Tony didn't make it to cover in time before a metal bar in the debris, picked up by the shock wave hurtled at him… and through him.

"Tony!" Thor bellowed.

The playboy looked down and saw the metal sticking out of his waist, just above his hip.

_Ah._

_I am just having a fucking bad day at the office._

Tony _should_ have thought it through, really. But he had an overwhelming desire to pull the damn thing out, especially after the zombie shard incident.

_But, yes. Fine._

In the weeks to come, when Loki would beat him black and blue for doing it, Tony would argue that he hadn't been in a position to really think it through, what with the _unbearable pain_ and everything.

"Oh I'll give you unbearable pain, my love," Loki would spend the next few weeks growling at his defiant boy.

Tony hadn't thought it through. He was having a bad day and, at the time, this just seemed to be the icing on the cake. So no. He wasn't thinking rationally.

Thor was running up to him and Tony just took the pole and pulled.

It dragged out of him with a disguising squelch and fell to the floor. Tony could see a large, ragged, bloody wound.

_Fuck._

It glowed white. And started to heal. Tony still felt giddy from blood loss and the pain was still horrific, the shock was still making his brain feel numb and fuzzy, but he was at least sure he wasn't going to die.

Thor skidded to a halt. He gazed at the wound as the pouring blood ceased and magic began stitching him back together. He stared for a long time, until skin now covered the hole. Then his eyes moved to Tony's.

Tony couldn't speak which was a shame. Had he been a little more with it, he probably would have been able to distract Thor's train of thought with something shiny.

"þjá ey," Thor muttered in shock. The cogs were working behind the blue eyes with surprising efficacy. Horror, relief, disbelief, confusion… Thor's eyes narrowed. "Loki" he growled.

_Wow he got there quick._

"No!" Tony said quickly. "No, no, no. No. Not Lok- not, no, no-Thor!" he yelled as the man flew away, hammer ahead of him.

"Fucking shit!"

_No suit, no hope._

Tony ran to a main road, falling to his knees a few times as the world spun horribly and found a taxi. But it took the better part of twenty minutes to get back to Stark Tower. The streets were crowded with baffled people, fallen masonry and, oh yeah, huge fucking dead lizards.

In the end, he left the taxi and ran, hearing the man behind him yelling for his fare.

_I'm Tony fucking Stark! Bill me!_

He ran into the building, throwing himself into a lift. But the elevator seemed to be going so slowly he thought he was going to have a heart attack before it ever reached the top.

"Damn it, fuck it, shit," he said, thumping the walls. "What the hell's going on up there?"

"The two Asgardians seem to be having an altercation."

Tony ran his fingers desperately through his hair. "Is anyone dead yet?" he asked with an angry laugh.

"Not yet, sir."

"Well give it time." Tony kicked the doors violently.

"Sir, the elevator is going as fast as it can. Jamming the opening mechanism will not be productive."

Tony threw himself out of the lift to see Loki, cut up and bleeding, crawling backwards along the floor as Thor advanced, his hammer pointed at Loki's head.

"You betrayed me!" Thor shouted. "You planned this all from the beginning!"

"Yes!" Loki spat. "I did, to show up your warrior's code as the ludicrous, timeworn drivel that it is! To show you that this race that you defend so honourably is less than the filth beneath our feet!" Loki's eyes flashed wickedly. "To show you that you're not the only one who can take what they want!"

"That you should use my friend, a hero of Midgard so shamefully is more that I can stand," Thor said with venom pouring from him. "When you returned to Asgard, I believed there was hope. I missed my brother and I believed that there was hope of his return. But I know now that you simply cannot escape your nature, _vándr svell jǫtunn_!"

Tony shuddered at Thor's malice. This was not the noble, honourable man he knew. Loki had been right from the beginning. This act was enough to destroy Thor.

Loki snorted. "Vándr svell jǫtunn?" he whispered coldly. He changed now, cerulean skin emerging, patterned with whorls and ridges, red eyes glowing. Tony gazed, enraptured despite the situation. Loki's blood in this form was dark, almost navy blue. "Well then, son of Odin. Monsters are meant to be destroyed. Kill me."

"No!" Tony shouted. He glared at Loki, "What the fuck are you doing?"

"Do it!" Loki shouted at Thor.

Thor's face turned to Tony. He swallowed and shook his head, lowering his hand and Mjölner. He glowered at Loki like he was some sort of filthy animal. "I cannot. And you know I cannot."

"That's right, you oaf," Loki sneered, staggering to his feet. "You kill me and Tony dies." Loki's red eyes turned to Tony. "Boy, come here."

Tony felt his stomach twist as Thor raised the hammer once again at Loki. "How dare you speak to the Iron Man in such a-" Thor faltered.

Tony stood, shaking, next to Loki. He couldn't meet Thor's eyes.

Loki smirked at Thor's face. "Oh, just wait. He does more. Get on your knees, boy."

"Loki, come on, stop it!" Tony hissed.

Loki glared, his eyes flashing warningly. A world of possibilities opened up before Tony and none were particularly good. Tony shivered, closing his eyes against the humiliation and sank down.

"Stop this," Thor said, his voice suddenly quiet and pleading. "Do not do this to him."

Tony bit back his shame as he realised that despite everything, Thor was still trying to protect him.

_It's too late. I'm too far gone, Point Break. But thank you._

Loki's fingers were petting Tony's head. Despite everything, after the explosion and the pain, the comfort of Loki's petting soothed his fears. "Don't concern yourself. My boy is very happy with his new position in life. Aren't you boy?" Fingers tightened in his hair. "Answer me, boy."

"Yes."

"Yes what?"

"That's enough!" Thor shouted. He raised Mjölner to strike, but Loki's staff reappeared in his hand, pointing down at Tony. Thor gritted his teeth angrily and with a growl of anger he threw his hammer away across the room.

"You're hard already, aren't you boy? The truth now."

Tony shuddered. _Yes…_

"I will see you rot an eternity in the cells of Asgard, spawn of Laufey." Thor spat.

"Then my boy will be right there with me. We cannot be separated, you know that full well. I have committed no crime. Tony agreed willingly – oh so willingly by the time I was done showing him what happens when he says _no_. And he's been so dutiful in his training, haven't you my little boy? For the rest of our lives, Thor, you're going to see him, on his knees and you'll know that, if it hadn't been for you, we never would have met."

"I want to be here, Thor, I chose this, I wanted this!" Tony hissed desperately, wanting to erase the pain in Thor's face. Needing him to know it wasn't his fault. Tony wrenched his head from Loki's fingers and stood. "Thor this isn't your fault."

"Get down, boy!"

"Ignore the staff, he won't hurt me."

Loki laughed. "You're such an easily led little slut, aren't you Tony?"

Tony forced himself not to listen. Loki was in liar mode. On some level he couldn't help it. Attacked and backed into the corner, Loki had responded the only way he knew how. By causing chaos.

"This has just all spiralled way out of control; we could have done this properly. But yes, we're bound together. We need each other, and both your parents approved of it. Not that I care."

"Do not believe his lies, Tony." Thor said in the manner that you'd speak to the hard of learning.

"I don't believe his lies; that's why I'm ignoring - he's being a dick. But I've had six months to-" _Fuck. Okay. Wasn't your best move._

"Six months?!" Thor yelled.

"Oh well done" Loki said blandly.

"Thor-"

"You are a hero of your people!" Thor shouted. "The Iron Man! You lower yourself to this? You lower yourself to no more than a cheap who-"

Thor was thrown against the glass shelves of the bar by a blot of blue. He staggered up and the hammer flew into his hand.

"Don't you dare!" Loki yelled.

"Don't anyone move!" Tony yelled.

"Loki, I will-" Thor began.

"Don't anyone-look, my tower, my rules. Shut the fuck up and drop the medieval weaponry."

Loki raised his staff for another bolt.

Tony made a sign to Jarvis and two machine guns, armed with bolts of highly focused energy emerged from the floor, each picking a Nordic god to aim at. "These won't kill either of you I'm sure, but man will it hurt," Tony said threateningly.

It did at least stop the fight. But while Tony's guns couldn't kill either one, they could well kill each the other.

"I don't remember these," Loki said sceptically.

"They're recent," Tony snapped.

"Well, you have been a busy boy."

Tony took a second to gather his thoughts. "Fuck this has just been a bad day." he breathed. "And, no, I'm not watching my fucking language. You owe me a lot of attention tonight for what you just made me do."

"I will not allow this to continue," Thor said.

Positioned between the two, Tony turned his head to glare. "Tough shit, because I'm not giving Loki up. He's mine. Unfortunately, that also means I'm his. The small print is always where you get screwed over. It's done, Thor. There's no going back. We're bound; you should understand that more than anyone. Get over it. You. Fucking apologise."

"I will kill you, boy, if you don't shut your-"

"Apologise or the only thing you'll ever hear from me is _Fury_," Tony hissed quietly.

Thor probably heard, but thankfully didn't gather the meaning.

"Then I'll just ignore you. Or keep you gagged."

This was it. This was where Tony took the final gamble and saw if it paid off. He gazed into Loki's eyes, searching and took the risk. "I don't think you'd do that to me."

_Fuck, if I'm wrong then Thor's right. And I'm trapped with a monster for the rest of my life._

Loki smirked… then in the face of Tony's calm certainty seemed to falter. He looked away angrily. "No. No I wouldn't." His eyes narrowed even more, his gaze murderous. "But I will not apologise."

"Nor will I hear it," Thor snapped.

Loki's head tilted to the side, his white teeth, all the whiter for his blue skin, flashing. "Come now, dear brother. Admit to your jealousy. Then we can all be on the same page."

_Fuck. Not going there._

"Loki, buzz off for a bit" Tony said and returned Loki's evil glare. "You heard. You gave me time to talk this through with Bruce. You'll do the same-"

"Bruce is aware of this?" Thor demanded.

Tony gave a tired laugh and nodded at Loki. "Yeah and Natasha, but not the _Loki_ bit. Just the man bit."

Loki tilted his head slightly, but Tony just rolled his eyes. "I'll tell you later."

Loki sighed again and shimmered back into his Asgardian form. "Well. I believe there is no more that need be said. _Brother_, you will find me in Asgard."

"I will take you before the King and-"

"No, _I _will take you before the King and demand restitution." Loki smiled that smile. The one he used for his mischief. "After all, _my_ thrall was injured while in your care."

Thor snorted in disbelief. "You really intend to press skaði góðr upon me?"

"Fucking great, more Asgardian I have to learn."

"Can you swear on your honour that you could not have prevented his harm?" Loki smiled at Thor's brief moment of uncertainty. "Then yes, I do believe there is a case to be answered for."

"Seriously, as fun as it is standing here in the middle and hearing the 'my dick's bigger than your dick', I'm asking you Loki, go. I'll deal with this."

Xxx

Thor finished another mug. Tony watched as Thor reached for another. And another. After the fifth he ventured to speak. "Any better?"

After the two had finally calmed down, Tony had persuaded Loki to let him deal with Thor. Loki had been angry and while he relented, he whispered a threat in Tony's ear of punishment later on. Loki had vanished and Thor had been angry for a long time after that.

Tony decided that, when in doubt, rely on booze. He changed into a suit and dragged the irate blonde god to a local, noisy bar. In fact, the same bar he had taken Bruce the last time he had to tell this story.

Thor looked up at Tony now, opened his mouth to speak, shook his head and grabbed a sixth pint of beer.

"Okay… you just tell me when you're ready." Tony nursed his whiskey. He wasn't feeling up to drinking right now. First time in his life.

Just been a bit of a bad day, all things considered.

"You are the Man of Iron," Thor said, seemingly trying to convince Tony of the fact. "A man of global respect and admiration. You are intelligent, brave, honourable… in your way. Strong. How can you willingly submit yourself to such treatment?"

Good question and one Tony was always debating with himself. "I don't see the two as mutually exclusive. I'm Tony Stark, who heads the company, wears the suit and likes being punished in the bedroom."

Thor made a noise, waving his hand. "I don't, Tony, my brother and you, I- No."

"He a very demanding man, Thor. He knows what he wants."

"Tony, _do not_."

Tony smiled inwardly. Maybe this evening could be fun after all. "Is this because your brother is with a man?"

Thor gave him a look of weary patience. "Don't be ridiculous, the gender is unimportant. It's the position."

Tony stared. "You've lost me. Loki and I do plenty of-"

"My first _relations_ was with a male. Most Asgardian warriors have their first experience with fellow men; they eat and sleep and train and hunt with them. The fair sex are rarely found in the barracks. But there is a code, a way of doing things. My relations with fellow warriors, I was the…" Thor pulled back, embarrassed.

"The fucker," Tony supplied helpfully, "rather than the fuckee."

"Would you take this seriously?"

"No. I've had a long day. There's a hole in my stomach. The man I love humiliated me. My friend tried to kill him. The international spy knows I'm getting fucked by a man because there was no toothbrush in my bathroom. I'm having a bad day. So I'm going to be as coarse as I like."

"Yes. I was the… penetrator. You and I, we are the superior warriors and do not take the passive position. My brother degrades you and offends your honour by demanding you take a submissive role. It is an insult."

Tony rubbed his face. "Save me from the Odin boys' world of fucking nonsense. Between the pair of you I've just about had enough with you wittering on about _position_ and Loki's demands that I learn the ways of _meekness_ – fuck the pair of you."

"I'm trying to show you what my brother's done. You do not understand."

"I do, actually, I was there."

"He has made you the female."

"My penis says otherwise. Besides, your own mother seemed to think it was a brilliant idea."

"She is a woman, she does not understand."

"Funnily enough, she just asked if I was happy and I said I was and she seemed to think that was enough."

Thor shook his head. "I would not be happy to be forced into such submission."

"Well we can't all be you."

"You can try."

"Fuck. You."

A silence fell as each tried to marshal their arguments. Thor rubbed his face tiredly. "My brother has turned you into a woman."

"Your brother turns into a woman. When were you going to mention that?"

Thor looked up, curious apparently, in spite of himself. Tony rolled his eyes, "No, we've never done it when he's been a woman."

"Why not?"

"Believe it or not, all I can think of is eww. Loki's Loki."

"His actions are unforgiveable."

Tony snorted, "Oh and how are they different? You people just walk in and take what you want. You're planning on þjá ey-ing Jane aren't you?"

_Oh well done. Now you've gone all Tony Stark._

"I would not force her to humiliate herself for mere entertainment!" snapped Thor disguisedly.

_He's got you there._

"Do not attempt to shield him, do not try and tell me you were a willing participant to his evil!"

Tony bit his tongue. _I'm going to tell the truth? Really?_ "Not at first."

"When was the first-"

"Thor-"

"When?" Thor demanded.

"You know when."

Thor's mind worked hard as Tony started on his drink. It burnt his throat slightly as it went down. He put the glass back on the table. He honestly wasn't in the mood.

"He attacked you in Stark Tower. He-"

"Yeah."

Thor's expressed turned thunderous. "It's unforgivable, Tony."

"You know, I would have thought so too. And it is. In any other circumstance, guys who do that should be fed through a wood chipper. But, and this is _just in my case_, I've found he's more than made up for it since."

"What will the Avengers think, Tony? You will lose their respect."

"I barely had it in the first place."

"That is not true," Thor said. "You don't understand what has happened. You're very y-" Thor paused.

Tony let out a tirade of exclamations and ran his hands over his face. "Save me from the fucking Aesir– you're trying to tell me I'm too young to understand, aren't you? You and your brother are - it's like two peas in a fucking pod sometimes."

"Do not compare me to him. And you are young. You do not know what he has done. Do you think in eight hundred years, you will still willingly play the submissive?"

"I don't even care about a hundred years from now. I care about now. And possibly this afternoon. Certainly don't give a damn about tomorrow. Tomorrow always seems to take care of itself. Can we just agree to disagree? I want to get back."

"To him."

"Yes."

Thor seemed taken aback at the honesty. Tony rolled his eyes. "Weren't you the one always saying that, beneath it all, he's a good guy? Well I've seen that guy. After the pain, after the abuse I open my eyes and there he is. And he is strong enough to hold back the monster; he'll stop when I need him to."

"You know that? For sure?"

"Yes. It's happened. I called stop and he stopped."

"Tony, this is…"

"Messed up?"

Thor was familiar with the expression but he seemed to think that it summed this up well.

"Don't blame anyone but me for this, Thor. No, actually, blame Loki too. This was a 50/50 endeavour here; I'm not taking all the blame. But it's likely I'm going to be around for a while and I don't want you to wind yourself up every time you see me."

Thor was looking miserable. "This is… so often my people don't consider… we walk in and take what we demand to be ours and… Is this what I have done with J-"

"No."

"You yourself just said-"

"Don't listen to me, I was just ranting. I do that. I say stupid things." _I just can't keep my mouth shut. Loki, please, I belong in a gag._

Thor broke off, not looking convinced.

Tony sighed. "It's my curse. Whenever I find something that's mine, it destroys other people. I destroy people. Weapons? I armed evil terrorist groups who slaughtered thousands. Arc Reactor? Anton and Ivan Vanko. Loki? I fucked over my friends."

Thor didn't reply.

"Loki was trying to mess with your head, but things aren't like that. He started doing this to hurt you, but now he's just… we just need… each other. It's not particularly healthy, but then nothing I've ever done is."

"Are you sure he… cares?"

"Yes." _Though I suppose, if I get back and he's gone, that will show the truth once and for all._

"Alright, Tony. If this is what you want… I am not happy. But I will not… interfere. But you tell my brother I will be keeping watch. If I ever see you in distress of any kind, by my word, he will spend eternity in a cell. I will be the King of Asgard one day and my word will overrule any law on thralls."

Tony looked at him seriously. "I would never thank you for that."

"I'm sorry, Tony. But that is the truth of it."

"What's skaði góðr?"

Thor sighed into a new mug of beer. "There's… what do you call it, 'small claims court' here on Midgard."

"In America, sure."

"Where people take themselves before a judge and demand the other pay money because their neighbour borrowed equipment and returned it damaged?"

"Lawnmowers and that stuff. Yes," Tony said slowly, not really liking where this one was going.

"Loki is going to take me before the King and demand I pay as I 'borrowed' his thrall and returned him injured," Thor said with a shrug.

"I'm a lawnmower?"

"You realise this, don't you Man? You are now property."

Tony tackled what he thought was the more pressing issue. "How much am I worth in gelds? Because if it's anything what I'm worth on Earth, my friend, you're in a lot of trouble."

xxx

Tony walked with heavy feet up into the penthouse of Stark Tower. No Loki, but a lot of mess to clear up. "Jarvis, get housekeeping up there tom- no, make it now. I don't want to look at this. If Loki appears at any point, give him my location."

"Yes sir, and your location will be?"

Tony paused. Good point. Where the fuck to go? "Tell him-"

"Tell me what, Tony?"

Tony turned. Loki was leaning against the kitchen bar. "Well, Thor's going to keep quiet. And Natasha… I still want to think about… would you mind putting on a pantomime? With a new identity?"

"No, I wouldn't mind. If you asked me nicely."

"Let me think about it." Tony rubbed his eyes. Bad day. "He's not happy. Thor. He says he's going to be keeping an eye on you."

"How did he find out?"

"Thor's brighter than you think."

"How did he find out?"

"You want to go for a drink? Some place?"

"Why was there a hole in your under-suit?"

"Must have torn it."

"Very neat tearing. Front and back. Perfectly aligned holes."

"Weird how these things happen, isn't it?" Tony croaked slightly. The weight of Loki's gaze was making him giddy. "Wish I'd drunk that whiskey."

"You didn't drink?"

"Wasn't in the mood."

"Do you feel hungry?"

Tony really did actually. It had been clawing at him all afternoon, but his stomach growled now as he considered it. "Maybe."

"Disinclination to drink. But thirsty? Hungry. Tired. Blurry vision."

Tony rolled his eyes. "And what's the verdict, doctor psycho?"

"Massive repairs to your body through the magic of þjá ey." Loki crossed the room, picked him up and slammed him into a wall. Lips pressed against his ear. "You had better tell me what happened right now boy, or I promise you, Doom will be the least of your concerns."

Tony sighed. _Bad day._ "Do you want to hear my joke about lizards?"


	46. Chapter 46: Black

After a few days of punishment, which Tony enjoyed more than he'd ever say, they had drifted back into their usual lives. An unspoken agreement had risen between them; Tony wouldn't ask for any details about Thor, and what was going on in Asgard, and Loki wouldn't share. Tony didn't want to know and Loki was seemingly happy not to fill him in.

Tony reasoned, if Thor had taken a departure from his life and friendship, they'd still have to work together.

_One shit storm at a time._

While depressing, there were other things occupying Tony's mind just now.

The code.

Doom's code delivered to him in his own missile.

It wasn't hard to make Tony obsess over something. He had an obsessive personality, Tony would admit it. It was a factor in his genius his unwillingness to let something go.

The code that Doom had left in the missile had been run through every program he knew of and it was still coming up as gobbledygook.

Tony muttered a bad word as the forty-eighth attempt failed. He flung down his light pad and stared at the opposite wall.

This was a challenge, issued by Victor, and the fucking sod was winning. It was getting under Tony's skin now. He was being outplayed and he knew why.

_Loki.  
_  
The minute the fuck had come into his life, he had ruined Tony Stark. He had destroyed the genius. Tony just couldn't understand how one insane god could have such a detrimental effect on him.

Loki said it was because Tony was happy now.

_Bullshit.  
_  
Somehow, this whole thing was rotting his brain. Tony was becoming everything Loki said he was. A little toy, sitting in his tower waiting for Loki to come and turn him on.

It would have been better if Tony could be Stark while he was waiting. But he could only be boy, sad and lonely and waiting for his god to pop in whenever the fancy took him.

_What are you complaining about; that he doesn't turn up enough, or that he turns up?  
_  
Tony knew that þjá ey had been a mistake. It was ruining him. It was destroying the Stark. He didn't party anymore. Even when he did, it was hollow. Booze just didn't do anything for him anymore. He didn't want to risk speeding in his car anymore, taking stupid joy-rides in his suit or prodding the Hulk.

He didn't want to see that look on Loki's face, the disappointment and anger.

The code was resisting his every attempt to solve it, mocking him and this dark moment.

"Sir, the gold tube is in your bedroom."

"What?"

"Loki has not visited us for the last two days and I anticipated your-"

"You think I'm in a mood because I haven't seen him. Fuck off Jarvis."

The voice went silent leaving Tony if possible, in a worse mood.

The code had to be something of Doom's own creation. If Tony could crack it, he might be able to do so much more in stopping the Doom bots. Maybe even find Doom's hideout.

Tony was as sure as anything; he could have got this before Loki. He could solved it in days and not weeks. All things considered, he wasn't in the best mood when the aforementioned shit turned up.

"I thought I'd find you here."

"What, in my lab, in my tower? You thought you'd find me here of all places? Well aren't you a fucking genius."

Loki's hand grabbed his wrist. "Clearly, I find my boy in a mo-"

Tony wretched his hand free. "Not now. I'm not playing games now. I'm working."

Loki looked up at the screen, his eyes cold. "Doom's code. Again."

"Yes, again," Tony said angrily. "Again and again until I fucking crack it. Don't like it? Go find some other toy to amuse yourself. This one's out of order for a while."

Loki pulled Tony up to his feet and rammed him against the wall. He drew his hand back to hit him, but faltered at Tony's laugh.

"Oh yes that's right," Tony sneering. "If Loki wants sex then that's what Loki gets. And it's up to _we_ _mere mortals_ to obey. Fine. Whatever. If I suck you off, will you go?"

"You are so convinced that this all about me," Loki hissed. "I seem to recall you cumming just as hard every time."

"Fuck off. I'm not in the mood."

Loki pushed his arm against Tony's neck, cutting off his airway. Tony grimaced and moaned slightly has Loki grabbed his groin. His head felt light, his body thrumming with a renewed energy. And the unmistakable sense of blood rushing in his veins.

_The fucking code._

"I can't solve it," Tony muttered distractedly.

"You can," Loki lulled in his ear. Tony leaned into the warm heat of Loki's breath against his cheek. "Of course you can, my love. My Tony. But you can't do anything feeling like this. All lost and lonely. I'm here now. You'll feel so much happier when I've taken care of you, my boy."

Tony shifted into Loki's body, relaxing into the comfort. Loki moved with him, their bodies pressing together. "Yes." Tony muttered. He felt the bitter, dark anger begin to disappear, like dark storm clouds blown away. "Yes, Loki… Hurt me."

Loki back handed him and put his hands round his neck. Tony fought and hissed, using the fight to release the misery. "Get off of me!"

"Shh, you know you want it."

_Please Loki, I need to feel good again. Don't stop.  
_  
"Get off!"

"Let him go."

Loki pulled away. Both stared. Bruce was standing in the doorway shuddering violently.

Tony ripped into reverse, his mind forcing his desire away. His silent scream for Loki to make him happy remaining just that, silent.

_Tell Bruce he's wrong. This isn't as bad as it looks, this is just the foreplay._

_Loki can't leave. I need him.  
_  
"Get out of here," he muttered. He looked up. "You heard me. Get out of here, Loki."

Loki turned, glaring eyes on Tony. "I did nothing you did not beg me to," he spat. He looked livid… and… sad. His look was appealing for Tony to step up.

_For fuck's sake Tony, you know that's true! You want him to stay! You're desperate for him to stay! _

_Just say it!  
_  
Bruce smiled darkly. "Do you really want the Other Guy to ask?"

_Loki please don't leave.  
_  
Loki stepped back from Bruce, still wary of the creature inside of him, and turned a disgusted look at Tony. The fury and disappointment in his face broke Tony's heart.

_I'm sorry.  
_  
"Very well," the god spat. He shimmered away.

Bruce hurried over, holding Tony's shoulders, talking softly and leading him into a chair.

"I'm fine. Bruce, stop it, I'm fine!" Tony said, angrily pushing the flapping man away.

"He hit you, he was trying to strangle you," Bruce said.

"Really, I didn't notice!" Tony snapped. "Why are you here anyway?"

"Steve sent me to help you with the code-"

"I don't need your fucking help!" Tony yelled. "I just need one fucking moment to think!"

Tony shuddered violently. Loki had promised his body a moment of glorious bliss to wipe away every tension. Now it was coming to terms with the fact it wasn't going to happen, every part of him was screaming out.

"I'm... Sorry. I..." Tony rubbed his hand over his face.

"No, it's okay. You've just had a shock. We should tell Thor-"

"No!" Tony shouted. Tony looked around, thrown and confused. "Look... I can't solve this code. I..."

"Maybe this is what Doom wants. Maybe it's just not sol-"

Tony spun round, throwing out a hand in expansive exclamation. He knocked a microscope off the table, but he barely noticed as a couple of thousand dollars of equipment shattered on the lab floor. "Why would he send me a code that wasn't solvable?" Tony demanded.

Bruce didn't answer, but the look he gave Tony said it all. He moved quietly across the floor, bent and returned the microscope to the table as Tony breathed hard.

Tony ran his hand through his hair. "Look, I... Stay here for a moment."

"What- No, I'll come with you."

"No."

"What if Loki-"

"Stay here."

Tony ran up to the apartment and into the bedroom. He shut and locked the door behind him, his hand fumbling a little. He tore open a draw and pulled out the gold tube, his only communication with Loki.

He gripped it and waited. "Come on Loki please... Please... Come on. Come on. Loki... Loki... Loki! Come on, please!"

Tony waited almost five minutes, standing still and gripping the tube like a lifeline. Gripping it so hard the gold raised patterns showed in his skin and his knuckles went white with the effort.

In the end, he threw it back in the drawer and slammed it shut. "Fine," he spat. "Fine," he barked, throwing himself back in the lift. "I don't fucking need him to be Tony."

_You still don't get it. You are Tony. If you're anyone, you're Tony. What you need him for is to be more than Tony.  
_  
Tony felt his world coming apart at the seams as he pictured it without Loki. Pictured sliding back into the misery. What he was feeling today before Loki turned up was what he had felt his whole life and only _Loki_ had ever sent those clouds away.

_Genius is born of sadness._

Tony started up, his face finally clear. "I know what the code is."

xxx

Tony explained as simply as he could to the Avengers back on the Helicarrier. Thor wasn't there, though Tony hadn't expected him to be. The god hadn't yet returned from Asgard.

Steve titled his head, staring at the code and the map of Russia Tony had pulled up. "This sounds like a trap," the super solider said sceptically.

Tony rolled his eyes. "Okay, just for your benefit Stevie, I'll do this again. This code," he pointed at the steaming code like a huntsmen presents his kill, "is telling us that Doom's base is located in China. But I, because I'm brilliant, manage to back trace the origin. I worked out that, while it's not his main base of operations, there is a Doom facility in Russia. A facility that he doesn't know we know about." He stared at the group. "So why are we all still sitting here?"

Natasha nodded towards Steve. "I think he's right. This all seems... too pat."

Tony rolled his eyes. "Come on! I finally get a leg up on the guy and we're going to pass this up?"

Steve turned to Bruce. "What do you think?"

Bruce looked apologetically at Tony. "He knows I don't agree," he told Steve.

"I'm getting heckled from the cheap seats," Tony muttered angrily.

Bruce addressed Steve, "I just think that Doom could have easily have predicted that Tony could trace this back. I think it's a double bluff."

"I agree," Steve said.

"You don't even understand what I'm talking about," snapped Tony.

Fury finally broke his silence. "Bruce and Steve are right. This is just too much of a gamble. We'll look into it of course, but we're not going head first into a trap. We've done that too many times with this guy."

Tony threw his light pad. "Every second we stand here pissing about he's getting a step ahead of us!"

"Why are you making this personal?"

"Because he is!" Tony shouted.

_Nah-nah he started it? Really Tony? Can you hear yourself right now?_

_Give it up. Go home. Find Loki. Suck him dry, flash your eyes and hope he lets you off with just a beating._

"I'm not dropping this," Tony told Barton angrily as the others left.

Barton shrugged.

"Gee, big help Legolas. Thanks." Tony growled, walking away.

He walked in the direction of the lab, more out of habit than anything else, glaring ahead with a thunderous look. In his pocket, his thumb stroked the gold tube out of comfort. If Loki hadn't responded after the first hour, he was unlikely to turn up now.

Tony stopped a corridor away from the lab as he heard Natasha and Bruce in hushed conversation. He stepped back slightly, out of sight.

"He was trying to strangle him, Nat," Bruce said miserably.

"This guy Tony's dating. The one you won't give me a name for?" Natasha said in an annoyed tone.

"I… can't. Tony would kill me."

"You, the Hulk? Surely can't be afraid of that?"

"He'd never speak to me again," Bruce said pointedly. "That's what I'm afraid of."

"Go on then."

"He was hurting him."

"Yes."

"What do you mean, _yes_?" Bruce asked, sounding slightly put out.

Tony heard a sigh from Natasha. "Bruce... I don't think this is as bad as you think-"

"Tony was yelling for him to get off!"

"Yes, I imagine he was. Bruce... there's... a lot of psychology in sex. Especially in Tony's preferred activity. It's about... control and domination. Tony is an exceptionally strong, arrogant, bull-headed guy - do you really think he could be controlled by a gentle approach? He wants to be controlled; it's what gets him off."

There was an awkward pause. "Do you think that I just walked in on-"

"Probably."

"But he told the guy to leave."

"After getting caught in the middle of it, in front of someone who's supposed to see him as the Iron Man? As the great Tony Stark? Tony was humiliated; no wonder he would rather pretend he didn't want it. In front of you?"

"Damn," Bruce muttered. "Fuck. I'm so stupid."

"Don't worry about it, Bruce. I'm sure it'll work itself out."

"I should apologise."

Tony cringed but Natasha saved him. "I wouldn't," she said. "I think it's best to let it pass. Tony's been emasculated enough for one day. Besides, he's not the most stable guy to begin with."

Tony hid for a while longer, until Bruce and Natasha walked away, still talking in low whispers.

_Emasculated._

He should have felt relieved that it was over with. That Bruce hadn't told Natasha about Loki and wasn't going to press Tony on details. That's what he should be feeling.

_Emasculated._

He just felt angry. Tony was so predictable, so easy to control, to manipulate. He had been turned into something less than a man. People were talking behind his back about how delicate his fucking ego was. How he needed to be allowed to play the submissive. How he should be treated so delicately.

It wound him up.

It made him angry.

It made him Stark.

xxx

Five hours later, as dusk fell on Nyagan, so did the Iron Man, landing heavily on a roof of a building. A cobweb of cracks created by the impact in the rock grew beneath his feet.

He looked over the town. It was the centre of a petroleum and natural gas monopoly and like many other parts of this region in Russia, it's known for its sudden temperature drops. They were on the verge of one now; it was icy cold and his suit was working overtime trying to keep his body temper stable.

On first glance there was nothing, but Tony's visor was picking up an usual energy signature. The same as the one in Laverita. He was sure now. He propelled back into the air and landed again, a few yards off next to a concrete bunker.

He kicked down the door with a metal boot. "Knock knock."

The corridor was empty. There were a few empty bottles on the floor, an old ragged blanket and a few rats scurrying for cover, but that was it.

_It's a trap. It's so obviously a trap but you don't care because your fucking ego is bruised._

_Please, just go home and find Loki._

The Iron Man moved forward, checking rooms, scanning all the while looking for clues. Eventually the wire frame image in his visor picked up on a concealed door in the floor.

He pulled it open with such force it was wrenched off its hinges, flying away and crashing against the wall behind him. His sensors tried to scan the dark drop beneath him, but with no light it was coming up with nothing.

_This is so stupid._

Tony dropped down, starting his engines halfway so he hovered in the darkness. "Lights." The lights in his suit blazed out and showed the trap he might have fallen into. Some sort of container which was probably activated the second he landed in it.

He smirked at Doom's lacklustre attempt and moved away, finding a platform and dropping down. It looked like some sort of war-bunker though Tony couldn't figure why. It's not as though this place was strategic in any of the wars Russia was involved in.

He followed the gangway metal clanging against metal as he walked. "What have we got?"

"I'm detecting nothing, sir."

"Well there has to be something."

Tony saw above him what looked like the old control office. He followed the stairs up and made it into room. It looked fairly untouched, covered in dust and spider webs, but pretty much like the old Russian controllers had just stood up and gone home, leaving the place as they left it.

Still, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, that was what many of them had in fact done. And old secrets were best forgotten about, after all.

The metal face of the Iron Man, so passive and emotionless stared around. This place was dead. But here and there little clues to Doom's presence were glimmering in the dust.

_Like breadcrumbs._

He found an old generator and kicked it into life. It was enough to make the lamps in the mass, open space glimmer into dull life. From his high vantage point he could look down and the pod which was meant to be his prison and alleys upon alleys of high, metal selves.

"Great. I'm in storage."

Boxes and crates were lined on metal shelving as far as the eye could see. It was like something out of Indiana Jones. God only knew what was in them all. Off in the distance, he saw a door with a very new keypad lock on it.

He flew over and, not keen on doing the niceties today, just lasered the lock off. He pushed his way through the door into a side room. Nothing but another, innocuous room, layered in thick dust. It looked like a records office.

"Tony Stark."

The Iron Man raised his gauntlets, whipping around, but he was alone in the room. The thrusters made their comforting whirring noise as he searched to avail.

"The great Tony Stark wouldn't fall into a trap if it was easy."

He lowered his hands, the metal face turning this way and that, trying to gauge where Doom's voice was coming from.

"Think about it; break the impossible code hidden in your own missile. Use it to find a different location than the one offered. Find the hidden door. Avoid the unimaginative trap. Find the generator. Did none of this strike you as odd?" There was a dark, almost metallic chuckle. "Only the really intelligent are so incredulously gullible."

Tony felt himself getting angry, shutting all his rationality down until he could only think of one thing. He moved towards the back of the records office.

"Come on, Tony. Any idiot would have realized this was a trap."

The Iron Man wrenched a filing cabinet away, it flew across the room.

"Only the great Tony Stark could believe-"

He blasted another one with his gantlets. Metal bent and exploded, charred paper flying up around him. The Iron man wretch away the last and found the speaker hidden behind a stack of archive boxes.

"-that he can outwit the world. You wouldn't have fallen for an easy trap. You wouldn't have come so far, so willingly, if you didn't think you were out playing me. If it were easy. Ha, ha. You can never out play me, Tony."

Tony raised his arms and fired at rocket at the speaker. It shattered into a thousand pieces in a flash of white and red. As silence filled the room, he finally felt he could breathe again. The voice had drilled into his head, making him sick.

"Where are you, you fuck?" Tony spat.

"Here."

Tony's world went black.


	47. Chapter 47: Tricksters and Liars

**A/N Warning on dark content.**

Tony awoke groggily from a dream of Loki tying him up and fucking him. He blinked and panicked. He was tied up, but this wasn't home or Stark Tower.

He was in a dark room which felt huge, but he couldn't see much. He was stripped of his armour but still wearing the black tight under-suit which was very reminiscing of a scuba diving wet suit. Heavy black metal manacles encompassed his wrists as well as another round his neck. All three were connected by something that looked chain like but not quite.

He pulled and fought and cursed but it was obviously useless.

"Tony Stark." said a deep, vaguely bored voice.

Tony shivered as the skin on his back tried to crawl around to his front. He couldn't turn his head at all. "Love what you've done with the place. How's the whole destroying the world thing working out for you?"

Tony cursed his disgustingly bad luck. Well, if he was sure of one thing, it was that this was not going to end with him fucking Victor von Doom.

_Why was I so stupid? Why did I do this? Just to prove to everyone I'm still Tony Stark?_

_Well, this is what happens to Tony Stark a lot of the time._

"So, Vic… how've you been?"

"Not bad," replied Victor. "Von Doom Industries has been doing exceptionally well of late. Though I find my interests have recently turned elsewhere."

"Like creating adamantium robots?"

"Among other things."

There was suddenly a very heavy spot light on him. It showed up a console in front of him, but otherwise did nothing for his ability to see beyond the ring of light.

_Dramatics too. Great._

"This is such a rip off," Tony muttered petulantly. "Von Doom Industries? CEO, billionaire playboy turned super hero, well, villain, in your case. I mean, I know that imitation is the highest form of flattery, but come on!"

"You honestly think that everything I do is merely an imitation of the great Tony Stark?"

"Well, if the mask fits…"

Victor walked to stand in front of him now. "This?" he pulled the black mask away. "A gift from the people of Latveria. I have been a great benefactor to that once abundant kingdom."

Tony stared. Victor's once handsome face was now… distorted. Great patches of a silver metal like substance covered his skin… no, no, it was breaking out from under his skin. His skin must be stretched over a metal… something in his face. That was… gross.

Tony blinked. "Latveria. Right. So, changing the subject completely, what the fuck's up with your face?"

Doom's eyes flashed dangerously, but his face gave a slight smile. "Even the greatest gifts come with a price."

"Gift?"

"Fate turned me into a god, Tony. And you…" he walked around Tony, eyeing him critically. "You are just a man. Who tumbles as blindly as a lemming into a trap. An _old man_, still clinging to his genius; the dying visionary of his age. You're a man, just a man, in a suit with rockets and lasers. You're nothing, Tony. Your friends, Captain America, Thor the thunder god… even the Hulk are heralds of a new age. An age of glory. Where the gods will walk among the rabble. You, Tony Stark, do not figure in that. You're over."

Tony shrugged, or tried to, his present position not giving easily to the action. "Okay, well I have few things to say to that. Firstly, I've met a couple of gods, and you're not even close. A cape and a bolshie accent doesn't make you a god, it makes you a dick. Secondly, lemmings aren't blind, that's moles. And they don't tumble into traps; they run off the sides of mountains. Third and most importantly, what the fuck is wrong with your face? I swear, if I had to choose between being part of _the rabble _and looking like Freddy Krueger-"

Doom's metallic hand drew level with Tony's face and he flinched as electricity in its pure, cracking form circled his metallic fingers. "Impressed? I once sent a charge so powerful that it burned a hole instantaneously through a man's chest." He smiled that smile which never seemed to reach his eyes and pressed his hand against Tony's chest.

Tony screamed in agony, the electricity making his arc reactor glow alarmingly as the extra energy threatened to overload it.

"Interesting…"

Tony hung weakly in the chains while Victor tore open the black skin tight under suit. Victor was a psychopathic, maniacal, megalomaniac. Well so was Loki. What's new? The difference was Loki wasn't up-to-date with the latest technology. Doom on the other hand… he figured it out very quickly.

"So this is what makes our Tin Man tick…" he said, pulling the arc reactor.

Tony couldn't even yell after the electric shock had all but destroyed his ability to get anything useful from his muscles. He watched the Doom walking away with his reactor. _Fuck. I'm actually going to die this time_.

Tony shivered as white light shimmered across his skin. Thankfully, the undersuit hid a lot of this. He didn't want to imagine how he would explain that little titbit to Doom.

Doom was, in any case, more interested in the arc reactor and was examining it intently. "Very nice work, Tony. Impressive for such an old man."

Chest tightening, pain in his jaw, upper back… sweating, nausea. Tony knew by now he was heading into cardiac arrest and he wasn't sure the binding magic was going to help him with that.

_Loki… oh fuck. And the last thing we did was argue._

_Which pretty much brought the relationship full circle._

"How does it feel, Tony? To be, as they say, the walking dead? All that shrapnel just waiting for its chance."

He could barely believe it when he felt the click. He looked down, his vision clearing slightly as the glow was back in his chest. Tony looked up into the black metal face.

"Not yet. You see, while flashy and inane, your suit does present possibilities. But I know full well that you would have trapped the thing so it can't be reverse engineered. So you are going to remain my guest until you tell me how to build a suit or you die. Whichever comes first."

Tony tried a witty retort. He came out as a sort of gurgle. _Well, this is humiliating._

Victor raised a metal hand. The console behind him seemed to respond to the command. Tony yelped as the floor beneath him disappeared, folding away like the iris of a camera. His body dropped and now he was hanging in the air by his wrists and neck. He sucked a breath but it was hard. His legs kicked out.

There was just room to breathe enough not to pass out. That was it.

Victor walked away, stopping at a control panel just ahead of Tony. "Make yourself comfortable. I'll be back to check up on you in a while." He pressed a button.

Electricity ran through his body and he screamed. He didn't know how long it lasted, but when it finally stopped he hung like a rag doll, panting hard. The restraints were designed for this and he didn't feel any major burns around his wrist or neck, but his muscles had contracted as the current had hit him and were now aching. His stomach was flipping over.

But the worse, the absolute worst thing about it was it wasn't strong enough to kill him.

_Just strong enough to wish I was dead._

Tony blinked. He heard a beeping. Once. Twice. Three times a little sound counted down.

Then he was hit with another. His body arched back, the electricity forcing every muscle to clench, threatening to crack bone. It was like every nerve was being frozen and burnt at the same time. Again, he couldn't have counted how long he was like that until it stopped.

He cried out as his body finally went limp again. Panting, gasping he fought the chains uselessly. He realised in a flash at Loki's pain was nothing. Harsh, yes, but playful. Fun. This was torture. This was agony and if he ever saw Loki again, he would never use the word torture in his presence. There was nothing arousing about this. This was drawn out death.

There was a horrendous pain in his abdomen and he tasted blood in his mouth. Everything in his body was screaming that it wasn't going to be able to take much more of this.

Then, and the cruel irony of it wasn't lost on Tony, the white magic shimmered across his body, healing whatever internal damage had been done by the electricity. It soothed and patched him up, ready for the next jolt.

_At this rate it's going to take forever to die._

Tony stiffened as he heard the beeping. His eyes this time caught the tiny red light flashing on the console. His stomach flipped and he gasped in misery, "No!" But his body was thrown in to convulsions, pulsing anguish through his head and tensing his muscles so hard he couldn't breathe.

This time, his muscles spasmed so hard he felt a rib give into the pressure and snap. He vomited.

It continued in the same way for… what? Hours? Months? Tony didn't know. He had stopped trying to fight pretty quickly and diverted all his energy into focusing his moments on the time free of pain.

Breathing and relaxing.

_See? The psycho god of ass fucking did teach you something after all._

Shimmering white magic pouring along his skin.

Tony thought about Loki. A lot. It was his only refuge, drowning himself in thoughts of his whispers, his touches, his love.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Tony screamed as electricity crackled and he begged for it to end.

When he finally pulled himself back together, he forced his mind back to calming his panic.

Time became material as he hung. Pain. Breathe. Dream about Loki.

Pain. Breathe. Dream about Loki.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Pain.

Panic.

Breathe.

Dream about Loki.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Eventually, Tony couldn't remember after how many times, the magic stopped coming. There was no longer a white shimmer. His body was curling up inside, the magic had drained him of liquids and burnt up all his reserves of energy. He'd be quite prepared to eat a horse and drink a brewery right now, if the idea of eating didn't make him feel nauseous.

Once the magic was gone, his dreams of Loki became all the more important.

_There's no proof now that he even exists._

Occasionally, there was a long break between pain were his mind would disappear off into a fantasy; not even one about sex. It was difficult to think of sex right now. It was just Loki. Being with him, being held, his smile, his eyes, his heat, his scent, his voice.

Fuck, his voice. His voice made Tony melt and he wanted to hear it now more than he wanted to be free.

Loki's comforting presence, even when he was hurting Tony. He was a tower of strength and Tony drew so much on that. Tony got to be cheeky and impetuous and smug because he had that support. That knowledge that he could be whatever he wanted and not fear that the rock he stood on would crumble.

His father. Pepper. Obi. Everyone he had ever tried to build on had crumbled in the end.

And it wasn't their faults. Tony drove them to it.

Loki's tongue running over his ear. The soft black hair. The little frown he made as he came and the change in his face to compete serenity. Blue skin. Cold. Red eyes. That mouth-

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Tony screamed in anguish, the electricity wrenching him out of his dreams with unforgivable callousness. When it ended this time, he choked a little, his body temporarily forgetting how to breathe.

He twitched for a moment then finally forced himself back into the remembered arms of his god.

He heard footsteps and redirected his limited attention. Doom was back at the control panel. Tony closed his eyes in relief as he saw him flick a switch. It didn't have any noticeable effect, but Tony only had hope at this point.

Then the black masked man turned to another, outside the ring of light and obscured in the darkness.

"I need to know how he creates his suits."

"That should not be a problem," purred a voice. "Such fools are easy to break. And you'll meet my conditions?"

"Once I have the code to the suit in my lab, you get him. You'll use him as leverage over your brother. Yes, I remember. It's a deal."

"Thank you, Doom."

Tony blinked as a shadow on the floor grew, tall and horned. Tony looked up blearily into Loki's green eyes. His eyes were imperious and flashing, his golden, horned helmet and heavy armour and staff all making him seem larger.

Tony couldn't remember Loki wearing the full get up since they first met.

_When we first met… and fought._

There was a supercilious smirk on his face. "Well, Man of Iron. What predicament have you landed yourself into this time?"

_Help me!_

_The last thing we did was argue._

Loki circled Tony and walked back to the consol. "What are these controls?"

Doom came over and explained them in a conversational voice. "And this," he finished with a flourish, "this is the fun one." He pressed down and Tony was thrown into violent torment, his body spasming as electricity ripped through every nerve, blood pounding painfully in his ears.

It stopped and he gasped, sobbing uncontrollably like a child would; honestly and without restraint. "Please, please, please!" he beseeched Loki, Doom, _anyone_ _please!_ "Just stop, please!"

"I'd say he was almost ready to talk, deal or no deal." Loki said nonchalantly.

"Maybe. But my greater concern is ridding myself of him once I have the code. Take him. Let the Avengers come after you for revenge."

"An opportunity I relish. My brother needs to pay and he will, with this friend's blood."

Doom moved past Loki and the god watched the black metal figure with impassive eyes. Doom reached out and pulled Tony's head up. "You remember Loki don't you? The Nordic God of Mischief."

Tony stared at Loki, his body too weak to move. Doom, his fist in Tony's hair shook him painfully and Tony's eyes slid towards him. "He's going to persuade you to hand over the code to deactivate the countermeasures in your suit. He's then going to take you away and kill you in front of Thor. I'm sure, by now, you almost relish the idea."

Tony didn't speak.

Doom let go of his head, turned as if to leave, but whipped round suddenly and punched Tony hard in the gut. The man must be entirely made of metal, the pain was agonising. Tony cried out miserably, coughed and spat blood.

There was no magic left in him to heal him now.

Doom grabbed his head by the hair and pulled him forward. "I am the new age of industry, Stark," he said in a furious growl. It was the most emotion Tony had so far heard from the black mask. "And now you can join the first of the Starks and die an old, drunk, useless has been. The only credit I can give you is that you don't leave behind any worthless, damaged little shits like your father did."

"Well now you're just doing my job for me." Loki drawled, sounding bored.

Doom shoved Tony's head back and Tony swung in the chains before it settled. "Of course," Doom said to Loki, back to his calm, mechanical self. "I still need that code, Loki," Doom said, walking away. "Come to my laboratory once you have it."

"Yes," Loki said simply as the man left.

Loki waited until Doom was gone, a door in the out of sight distance closing, before ambling over to Tony. He made a tsking sound gently in this throat as he walked around and around Tony.

_Fuck please let me down! Help me! Save me! Loki! Please!_

"Tut, tut, tut," he breathed. "Someone's been a bad boy."

A hand stroked up his back, tenderly, gently, like every dream Tony had been living in. The hand curled its fingers into his hair and wrenched back. "The code to your suit, boy."

Tony blinked. _Whose side was Loki on now? _

_How the fuck could you ever be sure?_

The staff came round, pressing under his chin and Tony sobbed as it pressed hard enough to draw a line of blood along his jaw. He felt it dripping down his neck and pooling at the collar of his under suit.

"Dare disobey me, Tony? The code. Now!"

"No," Tony managed to wheeze, forcing the word out of his mouth.

"Don't even pretend that you have any hope here, Iron Man. Give me the code and then we can leave."

Reasonable, logical, understandable. Loki bargains the code for Tony's life and they leave quietly with Doom none the wiser.

But then Doom wins.

And this wasn't Tony just being Tony.

He had seen before, with Vanko and Hammer. Even the US army and SHIELD to some extent. Shit happens when other people get their hands on his technology. It doesn't end well.

"No."

Loki growled and walked over to the control panel. "I do not want to do his, boy."

Tony's eyes widened. "No!" he whispered, meaning something very different this time. "Please!" He choked on a wail as Loki's hand moved to the button. "Loki!" he gasped. "Don't hurt me!"

He wept, his body shuddering now, almost noiselessly. Loki's appearance and complete lack of any sign of caring had pulled the last reserves of strength from him. He felt more broken than he had done before. He didn't even have the energy now to bawl. He just hung there shivering like a terrified animal, tears steaming silently down his face. He waited breathlessly for the pain, but it didn't come.

Opening his eyes carefully, he saw Loki back in front of him.

"This is one of those damned _Iron Man _things I will never understand, isn't it, boy?"

Tony whined piteously. "Don't… leave… me… here…" he implored in gasps.

Loki closed his eyes angrily. "I want to do this in the way of tricksters and liars throughout the centuries, Tony. I do not know if I can fight my way out of a volcano swarming with a metal army. Not to mention a couple of dozen lizards. I certainly could not get you out of here alive. Give me that code."

Tricksters and liars. _Tricksters and liars._

Loki wasn't the only trickster and liar here.

Tony whimpered as Loki, looking furiously at Tony's face, turned back to the console. "You do this to yourself, my boy," he muttered viciously. He raised his hand again.

"Wait!" Tony gasped.

Loki looked over.

Tony shuddered again. There was a pain in his chest and back which were alarming him greatly. He hadn't felt pain like this since the surgery for the arc reactor. This was actually worse. _I really am going to die. _

"506," he gasped, "Alpha. Z-Zulu. Tango 753 dash B-Bravo 12."

"Good boy," Loki soothed. He walked away leaving Tony hanging.

"Loki!" _Please don't leave me here!_ He choked on a sob as he heard the door shut behind Loki. The days he had spent living in the past, drowning in his memories of Loki to escape the pain now bubbled to the surface and between cracked lips Tony whimpered, "Ek fylgja þú, minn ástugr guð."

Tony passed in and out of consciousness until he found himself hitting the floor. Robot arms pulled him up and dragged him along the ground. Tony didn't try to move, just glad to be away from the electricity.

He was dumped in a huddle next to familiar leather boots. He could hear Loki and Doom talking seemingly amiably above him.

He just lay like a dog next to Loki until the god bent down and grabbed him by an arm. "Come along then, Stark. We need to go pay my brother a visit."

Tony grabbed Loki's gold armour, supporting himself, pulling himself close to Loki's face. "Have to… leave… now." Tony felt his stomach heaving and his muscles protested to every inch of movement. "Suit… trigger… code."

Loki breathed out. "Oh Iron Man… I am going to kill you when we get home."

Loki raised his staff, pointing at the robots closest to him as there was a brilliant and tremendously satisfying explosion somewhere in the building. The lights flickered, dust fell from the ceiling, floors trembled and over an intercom Doom screamed, "Stop him!"

The god fired two bolts at the heads of the robots as he and Tony vanished from the room.

Tony fell to the floor. Everything had finally given out. He couldn't move, he couldn't even open his eyes.

"Tony!"

Powerful arms were holding him, pulling him into a sitting position. "What has happened to him?"

"He was tortured. Get him to the SHIELD healers."

"Loki, you should come-"

"No. Tell your Midgardian fawners you saved him. They'll believe you."

"Brother-"

"Go, Thor!"


	48. Chapter 48: Doctors and Nurses

Tony awoke in hospital.

The room was slightly too cold. A window was open and clean air was blowing in. He shivered slightly. Fresh air wasn't exactly the natural domain of the quirky engineer. There was a beeping next to him. Heart monitor. There was a tube running across his face. An IV in his hand.

All in all, not what Tony ever wanted to wake up to.

He forced himself to sit up.

He was almost immediately on his back again.

A strained curse left his mouth, but it wouldn't even have been identifiable.

He closed his eyes.

Xxx

Tony awoke in hospital.

_Okay. Now it's getting old._

He managed to sit up this time. Locating the 'summon-a-nurse' bell, or possibly the eject button, fuck knows, he pressed it about half a dozen times in quick succession. A nurse walked in. "Mr Stark, you're awake."

_Well duh_.

"Where am I?"

"Saint Jude Hospital, Germany."

"You're not German."

"No I'm not. It's an American military hospital." The nurse looked like a senior, _seen it all before_ kind of nurse. Dark skin and black hair tied back in a bun. She had a server look which immediately had Tony wary. Tony's first line of defence was to charm those around him. When that failed, he had his rockets.

"You were brought here because there are several specialists doctors here who will be able to help you." The nurse was fussing now with his IVs and monitors.

This is what Tony hated about hospitals. The fussing.

"Stop it," he muttered as she tried to take his temperature. "I said stop!" he shouted at her.

She pulled herself up, looking surprised but not angry.

Tony blinked. "I'm… just leave me alone, would you."

"I'll leave you to rest for a bit. The doctor will be on his rounds in the next hour. He'll be able to fill you in on everything I'm sure. Are you hungry?"

_Starving._

Tony shook his head. "No. What about… is there anyone here…"

"A 'Dr Banner' has been here every day since you were brought in. But visiting hours ended an hour ago and he's gone to the local hotel I believe. But I don't doubt he'll be back in the morning."

"Any of the others?"

Here, the old nurse suddenly gave what was quite a young smile, if only briefly. "There was a tall, blonde haired man. Very polite, well-mannered man. Very… tall."

_Thor's been chatting up the nurses then._

"How long have I been here?"

"It was though best to keep you under sedation when you first arrived. It's been three days."

"Okay." Tony fell into silence and the nurse trundled out a few more comforting stock phrases, thoroughly ignored by her patient and the left.

He lay back down.

_Fuck._

_Where is he?_

_The last thing we did was argue._

Tony rubbed his forearm across his eyes, trying to push back the stinging heat as they began to water.

_Actually, the last thing we did is blow up a chunk of Doom's HQ._

A memory to treasure, anyway.

_And something we did together that wasn't sex._

Maybe half an hour later the door opened again. Another nurse, younger than the last walked in. _Fucking Grand Central Station in here._ She was pushing a little cart. She stopped, closed the blinds and shut the door. "Mr Stark, I'm here to give you your sponge bath."

Tony blinked, still slightly fuzzily despite the time he had just had to pull himself together. He just felt weak and sick and alone. "We've only just met."

The nurse laughed politely and pulled a screen around the bed. She started pulling his clothes off, helping him slip out of the gown without him feeling like he was walking on a pitching boat. "There now, isn't that better?"

Tony's eyes widened slightly at her tone. "Err…" _Hello? Weird much?_

She didn't waste any time in running a wet sponge over his body, stroking into every muscle and smoothing out every knot. Tony had braced himself, but the water was warm and soothing.

He looked away slightly. _Fuck. I hate hospitals._ The clinic nature of the world, the fussing, the boredom… being treated like a thing.

The woman leaned in closer and Tony felt her heat, smelt her hair.

Every inch of him was suddenly buzzing. Tony shifted uncomfortably… _fuck_.

"That's enough. Enough! I'm fine, thank you," he said, trying to push her away.

He was still so weak that a vague slap of her hand seemed to throw his arm back against the bed.

"Ow!" Tony snapped. It felt like a bruise – was he that delicate right now?

"Relax, Tony. Your body understands far better than you do. Stay still, boy."

Tony went still. He stared at the small, impish, black haired, green eyed woman. Her focus was on washing his legs, the sponge gliding up and down his skin. He licked his lips. "Loki?"

"Shh, boy."

Tony felt himself smiling. He felt giddy with happiness. His throat tightened slightly with the emotion. "You know," he said, trying to hide the strain, "most guys would just send flowers."

"You are fortunate then, to be the thrall of a god."

"Loki, I've been so-"_ scared without you._ "Bored. I hate hospitals. It's like fucking dull central."

"And they do not allow you to drink."

Tony looked up hopefully. The nurse smiled and pulled out a hipflask from a back pocket.

"Aren't you a sight for sore eyes?"

"You'd better not be talking about the vodka, Tony."

He was, actually. He drank deeply and stared at the figure, a little miserably. "You're not you."

"This is safer. And I am still here."

"Loki, please," Tony said. The torture had left him torn open and vulnerable.

She sighed and looked carefully out of the blinds. Tony sighed as Loki shimmered into being. _His Loki._ "Now stay still and not another word, boy. I must finish tending to you."

Tony let himself be washed, languorously resting back in the bed while Loki dutifully attended to every muscle in his body, wiping and caressing the skin. Tony had wondered what was going to happen when Loki got to his groin, but he was quick and professional, washing him with three quick strokes leaving Tony grateful but strangely disappointed.

"I haven't said-"

"Said what, Tony? What is there to say?"

_Thank you._

Although Tony didn't say the words, Loki knew. Loki's eyes met his. "There is no where you can go where I will not find you. And bring you back. There is no need for thanks; it is a fact as inescapable as dawn."

"No eclipses in Asgard then." Tony blinked as Loki smacked his face. Tony stared goggle-eyed at him. "Did you just smack a guy in a hospital bed?"

"Yes and I shall do so again if he does not behave."

Tony smiled. _That's my Loki_. "I got caught. Doom fucking tricked me and I walked right into it."

"Are you trying to apologise?"

"No. I did what I was supposed to do. I'm the Iron Man."

"You're a damned fool."

"Yep."

Eyes flickered down. Tony's body wasn't responding after the torture it had been put through. Loki however was very clearly excited after caring after his boy while he was so vulnerable.

Tony's eyes met his, offering silently.

Loki shook his head. "It can wait." He pulled a warm towel off the cart and rubbed Tony down.

"Just because I get kidnapped by another psycho-bad guy doesn't mean I'm into him," the playboy teased.

"It seems to be a hobby of yours. Though I take it that things did not go as well with Doom?"

"He had the pain thing down," Tony said, thoroughly playing the part. Reading the script. "But… no style. No talent. I think I actually prefer to date older guys."

Loki looked away, trying to suppress a humoured smile as he redressed Tony.

Tony had a flash of déjà vu and he wondered what had taken so long. "This is almost exactly what happened when it was you. It's almost exactly how it happened."

"The fact had occurred to me." Loki grinned, pleased and animal like. "Why do you think I came here to bathe you? There is a kind of… tragic symmetry to the whole occasion. Lessons we should have learnt the first time round."

"And dreams of you kept me alive," Tony whispered.

Loki stared at Tony, for once the mask dropping. The surprise and pleasure and sadness on his face made him seem so young. So vulnerable… His eyes were wide and bright.

Then the face went serious as he looked up, like an animal smelling a scent on the wind.

Tony grabbed his wrist. "No, Loki-"

Loki's form shimmered and descended into the nurse. Seconds later, the curtains were pulled back. The doctor appeared. "Thank you nurse. You can attend to your other rounds."

"Yes Doctor."

Tony watched the door close on his mischievous god. _Fuck. We had a moment here. We almost had a moment there._ Tony turned his attention to the doctor with a forced smile. "Didn't catch her name."

"Nurse Lafferty, I believe."

Tony snorted. "Of course. I want her to be my nurse."

"Why?"

"The other one scares me."

The Doctor smiled amicably at the multibillionaire eccentric. "I'll take the point that Nurse Pritchard does have something of Nurse Ratchet about her. But Nurse Lafferty is a night nurse. Only comes in for the late shift and it's unlikely she's going to stay long-"

"Does this hospital need a new wing?"

The Doctor, a man of healing, was also a man of budget books. He gazed expressionlessly at Tony, assessing his patient, and then said, "A radiation wing and a new MRI."

"Tell you what, how about a physio ward, a radiation wing and two MRIs?"

"Pleasure doing business with you, Mr Stark. Nurse Lafferty will be attending to your care during her night shifts." The Doctor looked at him with a new, harder expression. "As a medical professional."

"No funny stuff, Doc. Cross my heart. I like you, what's your name?"

"Jospeh Hackett and no, I am not a surgeon."

"Damn, you just ruined my joke."

"Strange to relate but I have heard it before."

The man was tall, blonde, English and slightly older than Tony. There was a worn, tired look in his face but his eyes were still bright. He was clearly one of those doctors who had been a doctor all their life. That worn through but quietly intelligent air was one he recognised in Bruce.

Tony smiled again. "I like you. You remind me of guy turns into a green war machine."

"Thank you, Mr Stark," the doctor said blandly. "I just had a few follow up tests which I will be preforming in the morning. I just wanted to stop in, introduce myself and give you a shot of morphine to help you sleep."

"If every new person I met gave me morphine, I might just become a people person." Tony watched him inject it into the IV. "Keep it coming, doc. Don't stint on the good stuff."

"That'll be more than enough."

"You're kidding? I take more than that with my coffee in the morning."

Doctor Hackett just rolled his eyes. "Have a good night, Mr Stark."

"Call me Tony."

"Not for all the MRIs in the world."

Tony laughed.

He felt himself getting wonderfully wobbly in the bed as the morphine began to work. He opened blurry eyes as he heard the door close. Nurse Lafferty was back, a small smile on her lips. "He gave you the morphine then? Good. I was hoping he would. You'll sleep well, boy."

"Wow. This is the good stuff," Tony said thickly. "This is kicking off all nice and quick."

Loki laughed, sitting on the side of the bed, reaching out to touch Tony's face.

Everything was swimming and wibbly wobbly and all Tony cared about where those green eyes. No matter what body they were in.

Tony tried to speak but his world was slipping out from beneath him. Loki's arms, female now but still powerful, helped him to lie back.

"Close your eyes, Tony. I will not be here when you wake, but when visiting hours begin, Lockley will be."

"Want… you…"

"I know. I am still here. Sleep well. Know I am here and nothing will happen to you."

xxx

Hospital food. That's what Tony hated about hospitals.

Hospitals were clinical, fussy and served hospital food. Who looked at a good breakfast and said 'what this needs is to be dry, cooked with no salt or fat, laid out on a plate in rationed portions and then served in plastic.' Hospitals.

Tony looked up. "Hey man."

Bruce shoulders slumped in relief and he smiled in what seemed to be pure exhaustion. "You're awake."

"Why does everyone keep telling me that like I don't know?"

"How are you feeling?"

Hospitals were clinical, fussy, served hospital food and everyone insisted on asking how you were every eight seconds.

"As bored as the Hulk when there's nothing left to smash."

"You're alive. Be grateful."

"Why? I'm alive all the time."

Bruce dropped down heavily into a seat next to Tony's bed and ran his hands over his face. "You were a mess when Thor brought you in. The Helicarrier's facilities just weren't going to cut it, so I had them bring you here. There's a doctor here – Joe Hackett. He's an old collague."

"I met him."

"He understands," Bruce said pointedly. "About gods and aliens and men who turn into _other guys_. He's one of us, Tony. We can trust him." Bruce sat quietly for a moment, then chuckled. "Oh and Nat says she's going to kill you when you get out of there."

"Well that's something to look forward to."

"Has Lo-"

Bruce was cut off by a knock at the door. Doctor Hackett was back with his results. Apparently, for a man who got shocked countless times with voltages varying from between 400 voltages to god knows what, he was in remarkably good health.

_That's what comes from being bound to a god._

Bruce listening attentively, talking doctor with the doctor. Tony just sat and rolled his eyes. Hospitals were clinical, fussy, served hospital food, obsessed with how you were feeling and full of medical jargon.

Cutting them off, he said, "And when do I get out of here?"

Both launched into explanations about how medical science is not an exact science and it's important to think about your health and yadda yadda yadda.

"If you won't listen to me," Doctor Hackett said, "then listen to Bruce. Your health is not something you should gamble with."

"Why not? I gamble with everything else."

"The luxuries of being a billionaire, obviously," Hackett said drily. "But for all the money you have, you're still as human as the rest of us."

Tony smiled at the doctor. "You wanna bet?"

Bruce made a slight cough and gave him what could only be described as _a look_. Hackett glanced between them and gave little sigh. "Though, given present company, I suppose the point is debatable. I will be back on my next round, Mr Stark."

Tony threw his head back on the pillow unhappily as Hackett left.

"You can't rush things, Tony," Bruce said gently.

"Fast cars," Tony muttered. "Sex and rock and roll. I don't rush, I speed."

"Thor said he saved you from Doom."

"Yep."

"Did he?"

"Nope."

"Then who?"

Tony turned, looking at Bruce with a raised eyebrow, but not unkindly. "You know who."

Bruce shook his head angrily. "I still don't trust him, Tony."

"Well that's alright, because he certainly doesn't trust you." Both looked up at the voice. Lockley was leaning in the door frame, her arms crossed. "Hello."

Bruce looked away. Tony smiled, "Where's my flowers?"

"How's my favourite suicidal moron?"

"And last night you were so kind," Tony grumbled.

"That was last night. Now I know you'll recover soon enough, I'm perfectly happy to yell at you. What the hell where you thinking? The fact you went at all is enough evidence of your stupidity! That you went alone makes you a complete and utter moron! We'll be discussing this when I get you home, mark my words b-Tony."

"He has to stay-" Bruce began.

"You're right. I've been bad. So take me home _now_," Tony asked Loki, cutting Bruce off.

"No. You're staying here until you have recovered." Loki-Lockley turned to Bruce, ignoring Tony. "Look, Banner, I don't like this anymore than you do. But I'm staying and I suppose you are too. If Tony wants you here I won't force you to leave. But this isn't about either of us. This is about Tony and his fucking stupidity. Now we can both agree on that point, can't we?"

"Hey!"

"Yes," Bruce conceded.

"Bruce! And I thought you were my friend."

Loki gave a dangerous little smile. "And I'm a monster who you do not trust to be in the same room as him. Well, forgive me if I say, you are one to talk, _beast_."

"Whoa," Tony said warningly. "Seriously guys, you're both pretty. Can we leave it at that?"

Bruce shook his head, throwing a hand up. "This is pointless anyway. Natasha knows Tony's dating a man."

"Better for them to find Lockley here than me," Loki said simply.

Bruce paused slightly. The idea hung in the air; a lover, who was needed so desperately by their partner, couldn't even be there. Not really.

Tony for his part looked down, disappointed and frustrated, but accepting the point. Maybe it was the resigned misery Bruce saw his face. The pair didn't argue after that, though they sure as hell didn't make eye contact with each other.

"I hate it when you guys fight," Tony said sulkily.

"Be quiet, Tony."

xxx

Bruce and Lockley left that day when visiting hours were over. Tony felt himself shatter as his two anchors to sanity left. An hour later, Nurse Lafferty walked in with Doctor Hackett.

Tony smiled again, his moods completely fixed to the movements of his god as the tides were to the moon.

"Good afternoon, Mr Stark. I have the results of the tests."

"Lay it on me, doc."

"It is amazing, to be honest. You're likely to be out of here in a few weeks which-" he said loudly over Tony's groan, "is astonishing."

"I'm an astonishing guy."

"That you are. It's likely you survived three days of voltages up to and over 400 volts. Our remaining concerns are the internal burns and what effect this has had on your arc reactor. Not to mention the metal in your blood stream. That's what our main focus is going to be in the next few days."

"I'm fine, doc. I can recover at _home_."

"We'll get you anything you want to make your time here more enjoyable," the Doctor said. "And _relaxing_."

"So I can't bring my Uzi?"

"Preferably not."

The Doctor left and Lafferty closed the blinds and locked the door. "Turn over, Mr Stark."

Tony winced, rolling on command. "Seriously, don't _command_ me when you're like this. It's creepy. And really, really don't call me _Mr Stark_." Tony glanced at the woman a little uncomfortably. "You don't look old enough in this body."

The body shimmered and Loki was finally here. "Better?"

Tony relaxed with a smile and let Loki strip him. The bed moved so he was flat on his front. Tony jumped slightly as he felt cold liquid pouring on to his back. As hands smoothed and rubbed, he realised it was oil.

"Humm," he sighed.

Loki began to message him and Tony felt his mind leaving his body. _Oh my god… I died and somehow managed to con my way into heaven._

"Loki, where the hell did you learn to do this?" he murmured thickly.

"Relax, little one. Let me take care of you."

Tony's heart leaped into his mouth at the words and the tone. It was said so… soothingly. So wonderfully calming. For that second, Tony had almost been convinced that he was the most important thing in the universe to Loki.

"Loki," Tony said, quietly; a voice fighting against emotion.

"Shh," Loki whispered.

"This is seriously a whole new take on a game of doctors and nurses."

Loki's fingers pushed into every knot, rubbing hard, forcing a little pain as the knot worked out and then smoothing the strain away. Tony sighed. The god found every knot, pressure increasing over it and Tony would hold his breath as the tight, uncomfortable pain rose, then breathed out intensely as it was stroked away. His body was responding with every touch. His was getting looser and looser as he melted into the bed.

Loki's hands, which had started in his upper back, shoulders and neck stroked their way down until they were working his lower back. This was where a lot of the tension was and Tony found the pain intensified slightly. But the bliss when it was gone was twice as divine. Tony groaned loudly in ecstasy.

"That's right my darling pet. Give yourself over to what you feel. Don't respond, just feel. I have sealed this room. No one comes in. Just you and me."

Tony hummed in delight as Loki continued his work on his muscles. Covers were pulled back entirely and now Loki was running his fingers across the muscles in his legs. Fuck so beautiful. Tony had paid for hundreds of these in his life but none had felt like this.

Before Loki had got to his feet, Tony awoke slightly, shifting as he blinked back into conciseness. Oh god, he was hard.

At this moment, in this setting, it made Tony cringe hotly. He squirmed slightly, regrettably embarrassed. Loki was back, level with his waist, one kneading the muscles in his back, the other stroking his ass gently.

"I know what you need, boy. Don't ever be ashamed to ask. If the touch of your god hardens you, you please him. And you please me so much, Tony. Ask for what you want."

"I want to cum, Loki," Tony whispered.

Loki poured oil out over his firm and toned ass and slipped a finger quickly inside. "Turn onto your side."

The boy turned and Loki smoothed oil over his cock and stroked. "It's not going to be long, boy," Loki whispered. Tony couldn't help but agree, his body thrusting and squirming as two fingers pushed in. "No games. Just release."

Tony panted, moaning in joy, squirming and dancing for Loki. The god watched, pure delighted enjoyment on his face as his beautiful creature bucked and choked and sprayed out. Tony shuddered, gasping for breath, temporarily paralysed in the bed.

"See," Loki muttered, kissing Tony's ear gently. "Hospitals can be fun."

xxx

That became the pattern of Tony's days at the hospital. Lockley during the day just sat with him. They actually barely spoke to each other. She, he, whatever would read and Tony worked on his computer, talking to the remote Jarvis more than he spoke to the disguised Loki.

When Bruce was there, which was virtually every day, he and Tony would talk the whole time. They worked on the AOTS design mostly. Lockley would still be there, but so quietly reading as almost to disappear from the room.

Bruce began by throwing him the odd dark look, but after the second day, Loki almost became just part of the background. The natural talent of the conman to either be the centre of attention, or barely visible in an empty room. Loki was now demonstrating his thousand years practiced skills at the former.

And with a brother like Thor stomping about the place, a talent for not drawing attention must have been a point of survival for a young Loki.

Tony needed Loki there. On the few occasions Loki left the room, generally to avoid the visits from his other Avengers, Tony would find a panic settling quickly on him, making his pulse rocket and his blood pressure rise. More than once, a nurse would come in, actually concerned from the readings she'd be getting from Tony's monitors at her desk.

Which would be a shame for those nurses as Tony would shout, using his words, as he so often could, as a weapon.

Nurses running from his room, tears in their eyes became as frequent an occurrence as Lockley returning to the room and scolding him for it.

Tony knew there was something wrong. The panic and fear and anxiety were overwhelming. He knew he had been broken in some small way. The first time he had felt this he had Pepper, after his imprisonment in Afghanistan.

This time was worse, but now he had Loki. Loki was there, if not really there, during the day. Loki was there, if not really there at night. Then the nurse would lock the door and Loki would be there, really there, in all his glory, and take care of Tony better than anyone had ever done. Because he wasn't telling Tony what he had to do to get better. He wasn't saying Tony had to do anything. He just knew what Tony needed and gave it to him.

And Doom was pulling his arc reactor from him, laughing, smashing it on the ground. His fist, cracking with electricity was plunging into Tony's chest and he was dying, dying in light and pain and he couldn't find Loki anywhere.

And then he was on a road, alone, no Avengers, no Loki, no Pepper, no suit, no one was there. No one was coming for him. And in the distance, just at the edge of his hearing, he heard it and cried. He heard it, as though it was carried on the wind.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Tony woke up screaming.

"Tony!"

He thrashing, drowning in his remembrance, fighting the arms before he realised and sank into the chest.

"It's going to be alright, my love."

Tony pushed Loki away angrily as suddenly as he had melted into the arms. "I'm not a child!" he hissed angrily. "I don't need your pity. I don't need you. Get out! Get out you fucking bastard!"

He gasped for breath, hate and anger suddenly fading away as he really woke up this time. He shuddered in panic as the words he had spat so rashly finally made it to his ears. He looked up at Loki, fighting back the fear. "I…"

Loki patted his head delicately. "It's alright, Tony. I'm not going."

Tony felt his stomach heave but fought it down. His whole body was in panic mode, fighting an enemy who wasn't here. Loki was here, though. The patronising, self-satisfied fucker who had hurt Tony as much as Victor-

_No. No he hadn't. Fuck no. What am I saying? What Loki does is nothing like this._

What Loki did to Tony… Tony would wake up the next morning feeling like he was the luckiest guy alive. Feeling loved. Feeling whole. Tony had never, ever woken up from a dream of Loki's pain and felt like he had been torn open and spat on. He never woke up feeling dead inside.

Tony rubbed his eyes, trying to work out what was up and what was down. "I'm… I'm not feeling good, Loki. Go, I'll be alright."

"You tell me you do not feel well, and then you ask me to leave. Can you understand why I most certainly will not?"

"I want you to get the fuck out."

"I won't take chances with your life. I am no healer. But I certainly don't trust them alone with you. You are too vulnerable right now. They may take liberties."

Tony rolled his eyes. "Don't be ridiculous. They're professionals."

"And you are divine. I understand they would not be able to help themselves, but I would not show them mercy."

Tony snorted, trying to contain the laugh. It didn't work and soon he was shuddering with giggles. He was high on drugs and exhaustion, that's why. It wasn't because of Loki at all. "How do you make me feel so good?" he asked helplessly.

Loki was lying next to him, pulling him back. "Close your eyes now. I am no healer, but I am a magician. A little magic, I think. And you will not dream."

"Promise?"

"Of course."

Xxx

What Tony hated about hospitals was that they were clinical, fussy, served hospital food, obsessed with how you were feeling, loaded with medical jargon and it took a fucking long time to get anything done.

The morning of day six and Tony began to wonder if he should start craving tallies into the walls.

"Bored."

"Maybe. But I'm actually trying to work," Bruce muttered, his attention on a page of numbers.

"Loki. Loki. I'm bored."

"Shut up Tony."

Tony rolled his eyes and stared at his screen. "Jarvis. I'm bored."

"Might I suggest a chess match?"

"No," Tony said quickly.

Frustratingly, his tone woke the room. Both Bruce and Loki looked up from their respective pages. "Why not?" Loki-Lockley asked in a curious, purring voice.

Bruce chuckled. "I know why not."

"I believe Mr Stark is frustrated by his current losing streak. 98 to 1, isn't it Sir?"

Tony glared at Loki, whose eyes were currently alive with sparkling pleasure. "Okay Smirky, get me a chess board. Right now. Go on! I'll thrash you, I'll wipe the floor with you. I'm throwing down, we will play chess and I will mess you up. But you try playing chess against the most advanced AI in human history. Go on, I dare you!"

Bruce was shuddering in suppressed laughter. Loki wasn't trying to supress it at all.

Tony rolled his eyes. "You know what; I hate the pair of you."

Bruce choked on a laugh as he answered his flashing phone. "Yes, hello?" He sat up straight. "Oh, okay, right. Fine. Where are you?" Bruce's head turned to Loki. "The elevator? Alright. See you in a moment Steve." He hung up as Loki stood. "It's Steve and Thor."

"No," Tony said. Loki walked over quickly and kissed Tony. Tony grabbed his arm, but Lockley broke his grip with embarrassing ease. "No, Loki, please."

"I'll be back when they are gone."

"Loki," Tony called, but was violently shushed by Bruce. As Lockley rounded the corner to the stairs, Thor and Steve stepped out of the elevator and headed into Tony's room.

Steve nodded. "You're awake."

_Fucking genius that man!_

"Tony," Thor said with a smile. "I am glad to see you doing so well."

"Steve and Thor were here the first day when you were admitted," Bruce said. "But they got called back to SHIELD."

"There's been trouble in-" Steve began, but stopped. Out the corner of his eye, Tony had caught Bruce's almost imperceptible shake of the head. Steve looked put out, then said, "We'll fill you in when you're back at SHIELD."

Tony wondered where Loki had gone to hide. He hoped it wasn't far. Maybe he could send Bruce to check and get him to come back. As Lockley, obviously, but just back in the room is all he cared about.

"Tony?"

"What?" Tony looked up. Thor was looking at him expectantly. "I wasn't listening."

"I was asking how you were feeling."

"Annoyed."

"He's going to be out some time week after next," Bruce said, giving Tony a half pitying, half exasperated look.

"Also peeved."

"I remember how you looked when Thor brought you in. It's amazing you've recovered so quickly," Steve said.

"I know peeved and annoyed are technically the same thing-"

Bruce stood. "Steve, can I check in with you on something?" Bruce took the super solider out. "Tony, we're going to go down to the canteen. You want anything?"

"Lockley," Tony said.

Bruce nodded gently. "If I see her, I'll send her along."

Thor closed the door on Steve and Bruce, and turned to the bed. Tony looked up at him with cold eyes. "So you're going around telling everyone you played hero."

Thor's eyes flashed slightly. "On Loki's request."

"Yeah, because what good would have come from Loki getting to be the hero of the day?"

"I did not-" Thor began, but the door opened. Lockley slipped in and closed it behind her.

"Brother," she said with a smirk.

Tony watched the pair with reluctant fascination. To his surprise, Thor's reactions and behaviour towards his brother were exactly the same as they would have been had he been in his usual form. Perhaps it was a natural reaction of the Asgardians, perhaps Thor was just used to Loki's guises, but it didn't seem to bother Thor at all.

"Loki," he said tersely. He nodded towards Tony. "Tony was asking why you would insist on disavowing your part in his rescue."

"Oh you get to play hero, Thor," Loki purred. "You do it so well. You get all the praise and adulation, and I get to keep the prize and fuck him into unconsciousness. Seems like a fair exchange to me."

Tony shook his head with a snort of laughter. When he glanced back up, Thor was looking at him sceptically. "There has been much activity over the last week and I have thus far managed to avoid answering questions. But they will ask me where and how I saved Tony."

"You'll regale them with some story of triumph I'm sure."

"I cannot lie as you do," Thor said. Tony couldn't tell if Thor was being scathing or just factual.

Loki rolled his green eyes. "Then I shall just have to teach you a lie. I'm sure you can manage to learn at least one."

"Loki, why not just go to SHIELD-"

"Bad idea," Tony said, quickly.

_Why? _

_I'm not ready. I'm just not ready._

"I think Loki's right," Tony added. "I think you should take credit for this Thor. For now. I think… I think…" His heart monitor was beeping. Tony shuddered and his stomach lurched.

Loki was by his side in a moment, stroking his arm. "Sh," he whispered. "Logn, minn sveinbarn."

Tony reached out blindly for his water and drank enough to settle the churning.

"What did Doom do to him?" Thor asked quietly.

Tony heard the words but felt too dizzy to make sense of anything. He looked into Loki's eyes and all he registered was the smile and soothing eyes.

"Enough to earn the foulest death I can wrought upon him," Loki replied softly.

Tony leaned forward, feeling nauseous, pressing his face against Loki's currently feminine shoulder. Loki pushed him back gently so he was lying down. "You've pushed yourself too hard today, Tony," he said, scolding. "You will sleep now, for a few hours."

"Br-"

"Your pet beast will be back. I will not bar him from the room if you wish him here. But he leaves at the end of visiting hours and I am always here."

Xxx

Day eleven.

Clinical, fussy, served hospital food, obsessed with how you were feeling, loaded with medical jargon, takes forever for anything and…

They insist on wheeling you around everywhere. Like a building full of Ironsides.

Tony sat, not a little bit hacked off, as he was rolled though the hospital in the cold, iron wheelchair. "It's like the most boring rollercoaster you'll ever go on."

Doctor Hackett rolled his eyes. Tony didn't have to turn round to know it. He could practically hear the man's eyeballs spinning. He rolled Tony back into the room and up to the bed.

Tony waved away the arms as they tried to help and pulled himself under the covers.

Lockley closed her book. "Well?"

"Oh very well," the doctor said with a gentle smile. "Another week of physio I think, and then we can start talking about future plans."

Tony had enough for today. He was in the mood to be Stark. "So, you're a physiotherapy specialist."

"Ah, no."

"Then you're a heart specialist," Tony said, his tone getting darker while his smile grew brighter. A particular characteristic of Stark mode. "No? Lung specialist? Knee specialist? Hangnail specialist?"

Doctor Hackett looked appraisingly at Tony.

Tony smiled, "What sort of specialist are you, doc?"

"I'm a military doctor. I look after soldiers who come back from wars. I'm very good at looking after people who have been captured and tortured."

"You're a shrink?"

"No, a physiatrist. I believe SHIELD have their own physiatrists who will be attending to you. I'm here because all the damage is being done now. I'm trying to limit that so they don't have so much to mop up later."

"Lovely, graphic, thank you."

"Has anyone spoken to you about post-traumatic stress disorder yet?"

"Yeah, they tried to feed me that bullshit after I left Afangastain."

"I'm here to help, Tony."

"Tony, listen to the doctor," Lockley said.

"Fuck the pair of you," Tony snapped. "Get out. Go on."

Hackett looked at Tony with infinite fucking patience, smiled at Lockley and left, closing the door behind him.

Tony threw Loki a harsh look. "You believe this shit?"

Loki shrugged. "We do not have this traumatic syndrome in Asgard. But I know little of Midgardian health. If they say that this is what you have, if they can help you, then I want you to be helped."

"You're helping me," Tony said quietly. "You're all I need. Just get me the hell out of here."

Lockley moved over, glanced at the closed door and shutters, slipped onto the bed and shimmered into Loki. "Pretty boy," he soothed. Tony closed his eyes as lips caressed his skin. "I am no healer. And I am not so arrogant as to believe that in such circumstances, I am all that you need."

"I hate hospitals."

"I know." Loki smoothed Tony's hair back, running his fingers back over his head and neck. "Just enjoy yourself while you can. I am going to punish you so badly for running off."

"Promises, promises," Tony sighed. "Don't make them if you won't keep them."

Xxx

Tony, paused, panting, trying to get his breath back. His hands gripped the door frame of the bathroom so hand his knuckles turned white. The world around him spun and jerked alarming, like missing that step when walking down the stairs.

He couldn't stand anymore and staggered against the doorframe, his legs finally buckling. He dropped to the floor and felt a sharp pain in his arm as the IV was wretched out of his arm.

The throbbing pain in his chest was back and at such a pitch he couldn't yell. He just huddled, shivering on the hospital floor.

"Tony!" yelled a voice.

Arms were pulling him up. It was Loki, of course. But Loki, Loki. His Loki in Asgardian green clothes. It was night, Bruce had long since left and Loki was keeping his cover by doing his 'rounds'. He must have stepped in here as the nurse, seen what was going on and changed instantly.

"What do you think you're doing?" the god snapped.

"Taking a piss," Tony snapped back, feeling sick and groggy.

The bathroom was barely half a dozen steps from the bed, but Tony had yet to see it in the thirteen days he'd been here. Everything had been done for him.

"You should have call-"

"I don't need you in here to hold my dick for me," Tony hissed as he was lifted off the floor. Loki carried him into the bed and wrapped him back up like a child. Had Tony the energy or the fluids, he would have spat at the man.

He glared viciously at the raven hair man, fussing with the IV, wiping away the blood and redoing it.

"You're just loving this, aren't you?" he hissed darkly.

Loki replaced the heart monitoring sensors back on his chest. "Hush. You are shocked from the fall."

"You just can't believe your fucking luck, can you? This is your dream, isn't it? Me so helpless I can't even stand without you there!" Tony's voice was getting stronger, louder, more hate filled. "You were tortured for a year and still managed to fuck me into the bed. I was tortured for a couple of days and now I need you to feed me! This is your fucking wet dream!"

"You think this is what I want?" Loki asked, suddenly coldly.

Even in Tony's mounting rage and panic, he was pulled up sharply by the tone. He glared up defiantly into the hard green eyes. Though now he felt scared.

"You think this is what I want?" Loki repeated, his tone getting harsher and harsher. "How dare you."

"Loki-"

"How dare you," he whispered. Loki was shaking slightly. Beneath the surface, he was working himself up into a rage. Tony had seen it before. When that easy, cocksure demeanour suddenly snapped and he lost all control.

Loki clenched his fists, turned and walked away to the door.

"Fuck, no, please Loki, don't leave," Tony choked out.

The god wasn't stopping, still striding towards the door.

"You can't leave me here!" Tony shouted. He shuddered, his eyes closing as at the edge of his hearing, he felt the beeps.

Loki stopped. He was breathing hard, looking at anything but Tony. "Bilgesnipe," Loki hissed for reasons beyond Tony. "You can't help but open your mouth and trample everything."

"I'm sorry," Tony whimpered. He'd say anything to stop Loki leaving.

Loki turned to glare. "You think I what this? You think I derive any pleasure from seeing you like this?"

"You like seeing me in pain!" Tony hissed, his emotions out of control, flailing wildly from loathing to love. "This is what gets you off."

"Don't you dare compare what that foul excuse for a man did to you to what I do!" Loki yelled. He took a step back, a sad little laugh escaping his lips. "Unless you believe it. Unless you truly believe that his destruction and my domination are one and the same." Loki looked at him with disappointment and grief before turning back to the door.

"No, no it's not! It's not, Loki! I need everything you do to me, don't leave. No! No, don't go!"

"Must I stand here then and take your cuts to my heart?!" Loki retaliated.

"No," Tony whined. He covered his face with his hand. "I don't know what I'm saying. I don't know why I'm saying it." When Tony looked back, the god hadn't moved. He was glaring at the wall, not looking at Tony.

"Don't leave."

"I will not. But I do not wish to come near you. I am so angry. I will hurt you."

"Hurt me," Tony begged.

Loki's dark, angered eyes turned on him. He smiled nastily. "Because you want it, or because you deserve it?"

"I deserve it."

"Then no." Loki turned his back on Tony, pulled up a chair and sat staring out through a window. "What I do to you is not designed to destroy Tony Stark. And it is not meant as damage. If you cannot understand that then we have been at cross purposes."

"Don't leave me."

"I remain where I sit."

"Don't _leave_ me," Tony said. _Don't turn your back on us because I can't keep my mouth shut. _

_Like everyone else has._

Loki sighed. He stood, walked over to him. Tony shifted immediately, hurriedly, desperately creating room on the white sheeted bed and to his relief, Loki slid his body up next to him. Tony relished the warmth and strength of the arms that came around him.

_Tell him that._

_And sound weak? Forget it._

"I don't feel good," Tony muttered. He was talking about more than the nausea.

"Such events cause great damage to the soul, Tony. But don't forget that I am here and my soul is tied to yours. The pain is there, but the remedy is close at hand."

"I hate you seeing me like this," Tony growled.

"After you have seen me just as weak, it seems only fitting."

Tony struggled against the arms but Loki didn't let him go. "Let me go!"

"Sh. Sleep. You will start to feel better soon."

What Tony hated about hospitals was if you were in one, you were hurt.

**A/N: Poor Tony.**

**I'm off to see Iron Man 3 on Saturday! Front row VIP seats and everything. Everyone's been telling me it's amazing, but no spoilers please! :D**


	49. Chapter 49: Cross the line

**A/N: Very dark initially**

"Welcome home, Sir."

Tony stepped into the elevator. "Good to be back, Jarvis."

"I have had the kitchen re-stocked, housekeeping has cleaned and there is a bottle of Jack Daniels waiting to be opened. And Loki is waiting for you."

Tony grinned beatifically, but a slice of worry suddenly sparked as Jarvis commented, "He seems very agitated."

_Very agitated_ seemed to be a bit of an understatement. Loki was pacing violently when Tony walked in. The playboy smiled. "Hi honey, I'm home," he teased.

Loki apparently ignored him, still pacing.

Tony looked at him sceptically, a little hurt and a little bitter. "Fine, be that way. If you don't want to play, I can have just as much fun with myself in the shower. And yes, that's exactly what I meant."

Tony waited for a reaction, but Loki seemed to be lost in a world of his own. He looked… frankly he looked madder than Tony had seen him in months. He seemed to be that same Loki who had, well, thrown him out of Stark Tower.

He headed very quickly into the bedroom, deciding to keep away from any windows.

All in all, he was tremendously unhappy with current events. He had been imagining sex all the way home in the limo. Loki clawing at him, spreading him open, fucking him with glorious abandon and all Tony would have to do is hold on and hope not to pass out before the good stuff. It was going to be so… completing.

Tony wrenched off the hospital band around his wrists, throwing it in the bin with disgust. Hospitals, his least favourite place on earth.

A shower would be welcome right now. He felt covered in hospital. But before he could undress fully, now standing in bare feet and trousers still, Loki flew in through the door. His eyes were narrowed and his frame set. He looked ready for a fight.

_Oh come on._

Tony didn't want to fight. _No matter what he says, don't rise to it._ He smiled as kindly as he could at the clearly angry… no, angry wasn't the right word. Determined? Resolute Loki.

"Decided to join me after all?" Tony threw pride to the four winds and admitted quietly, "I need you right now, Loki. This is my serious face, see? I'm not feeling at my best."

"I know my boy, I know. And I am here," Loki said, just as softly.

Tony was surprised; his tender words were at complete odds with his body language. Though they usually were just before a beating. While that made Tony's eyes instinctually hunt for an escape, he at least had faith that in his current fragile state, Loki would never be too violent or too cruel.

_Faith. Faith in Loki. Who ever thought that would happen?_

A pale hand came out and stroked Tony's face. He looked into Loki face with a smile, encouraging the tenderness in him, hoping the harsh look in those green eyes would disappear.

"That's right, Loki," Tony breathed. "Come in with me, into the shower. I want to feel you. I need you."

"Yes. Yes you do. You need me to love you. And I do. You need me to protect you. And I will." The severe look in Loki's eyes flashed now, bright and menacing. "Even if you don't want me too," he whispered. Loki moved close now. The hand on Tony's face crept up to tangle itself in his hair. The other wrapped round Tony's waist. "We are going home."

Tony decided not to argue. "Okay, Loki."

Loki closed his eyes, almost steeling himself before opening them again. "We are going home," he repeated. "And you are never going to leave."

Tony smiled indulgently. The smile disappeared and turned to alarm as he realised-"You're actually serious, aren't you?"

"I almost lost you. I am sorry. But I am just not going to allow it anymore. Your time as the Iron Man is over. You're coming home. And you will never leave."

"No!" Tony pushed Loki off. He walked away and found a splutter of laughter coming from his mouth. "Loki, come on, be serious! I'm the Iron Man! Yes, sure, I'm your boy and, don't get me wrong, that's great and all. But it's also made me into a better Iron Man. Well, I mean, apart from this last little… blip. But I'm enjoying the Avengers now, I'm helping people and I feel good for doing it. Loki you've given me my life back here and I'm not wasting it."

"Your life is at home and in my bed. That is all. That is where you are safe."

"Loki-"

"I know you are upset now. But you'll come to see that I have nothing but your best interests at-"

"I will never thank you for-"

"I know."

"I will never forgive you-"

"I know, but it is irrelevant. I will keep you safe whether you like it or-"

Tony shouted over Loki, getting very, very concerned. Loki just wasn't joking and he wasn't backing down. "I am not a child! I am a guy capable of making his own decisions! Most of the time. Yes, it's dangerous being the Iron Man! Pepper went through this too and-"

"She left. Giving up a prize worth more than the world. I, however, do not give up and do not give in. I will not give you up. I will take you from this danger."

"Loki, you-"

"You will fight and scream and try to hurt me, to hurt us, but I will be slow and patient. You'll try to escape, try to harm yourself, beg, threaten, I'm sure you will try everything, my resourceful little pet. I do not want you to be sad; I do not want you to be angry. But I will not alter my position. We will have hundreds of years for me to show you your life is better lying still and safe in our bed."

Tony drew himself up, a bitter taste filling his mouth. "Listen to me, _love._ Even if we had millennia, I would never forgive you."

Loki looked resigned. He nodded sadly, painfully, not meeting Tony's eyes. "Perhaps." he whispered. He looked back with, if anything, more determination. "I will risk it. I would rather see you alive but hating me than know you were dead when I could have saved you. I… I'm sorry, Tony."

Tony yelled out in agony as he felt a punch to the small of his back and dropped to the floor. He cursed and saw the clone that had appeared behind him disappear as the real Loki advanced towards him.

"Loki, I don't want this!" Tony said, firmly and clearly, crawling away.

"Hush. Yes you do. You're just too worked up right now to know what you want."

Loki stepped over him and tried to bind his hands behind his back. As Tony fought and argued, he felt a painful blow to the head. It stunned him enough for Loki to finish.

"Stop doing this!" Tony whined. "Fury! Okay? I'm using the safe word here! Fury! Stop it! Untie me!"

Loki paused slightly, closed his eyes and shook his head. He looked more miserable than Tony had ever seen him. "I'm… I'm so sorry, Tony. But sometimes…" Loki shook his head hard again, opening his eyes and staring at Tony, apparently trying to make him understand. "Even when a child demands his rights, the adult must still remove the danger. It is a human right to have freedom of movement. But a loved one does not allow a child to run into the road. So freedom is curtailed for the greater good and protection of the child. It is the loved one's duty to protect and they must, if that child will not obey, lock him in his room."

A hand was stroking his hair, trying to placate Tony's violent thrashing and cursing. "Please, never believe that in normal circumstances I would ignore our safe word. It pains me to do so now. But this is not a game. We are not playing. I will not see you hurt or killed. I could not bear it. You," Loki hand was now running in long strokes up and down Tony's panting, terrified body. "You are my glory and salvation. My future, my universe, my life. I would die without you, as assuredly as you would die without me. I'm sorry, Tony. But you will come to see that this must be done."

Tony panicked. "Jarvis! Call-"

Loki picked him up by the neck, closing his airways and stopping his desperate call. The other arm wrapped around his back. "Please, my love, stop struggling. This doesn't need to be as distressing as you're making it."

The playboy tried to fight but it was useless. He felt that blackness, of being turned inside out. Then he was being lowered gently onto the stone floor. As Loki let go, he gasped air desperately.

They were home, the room with no doors or windows. But it didn't feel like home now. It felt like a prison.

Loki was walking away to the drawer Tony knew his collar was kept in.

He struggled backwards towards… what? There was nothing he could do in here, this was Loki's kingdom. "Loki, please. Just take me back to Stark Tower and we'll talk."

"Shh."

"Loki, I am not staying here," Tony said, firmly and clearly. "And you if don't stop, then I swear, I will never love you again."

Loki's back went stiff and Tony saw Loki raising a hand up to rub his face. He looked shattered, exhausted. Tony glared the figure at the other side of the room, hoping beyond hope that he had finally got through.

The god turned around, walking towards him, collar in hand. "Hush my love. Please try to relax."

Tony reared away, fighting and bellowing, doing everything it could to force Loki away as he tried to put the collar round his neck. As he heard the click of the lock, he let himself go limp. He panted on the floor, calming himself, gaining his strength for the next bout.

Loki was kneeling over him, stroking his hair and back gently. "Just breathe, Tony. Calm yourself. I know it's going to be difficult for the first few years, but you will learn."

After a few long moments, Tony was lifted and laid over the bed. He started up another struggle, but this one didn't last as long. The anxiety and fear clenching down hard on his chest was enough to make him feel dizzy and sick.

"I'm going to remove these," Loki said, his hands at Tony's waistband.

"No! You don't ever touch me, ever again!" Tony snapped.

Loki ignored him, pulling them away, leaving Tony naked. Tony tried to struggle his way off the bed, but Loki's weight pinned him down. He gave up again, panting exhaustedly. His energy seemed to be coming in waves as he swung from anger to panic and back again.

"I'm going to make you cum, Tony. You'll feel better after that."

"I'd rather die," Tony spat. "Don't you dare touch me, you fucking prick!"

Loki sighed. "You need this, Tony. I don't want to have to force you, but I will." A hand grasped Tony's soft cock and was already stroking.

Tony yelled and fought, kicking his legs out and trying to throw Loki off. But the god was too strong. He curse and swore nothing but hatred for Loki, using words and bile that even he shuddered at.

Then he begged and pleaded, he tried to talk sensibly to Loki, get him to understand that this was wrong.

Midsentence, Tony groaned, cursed himself violently and let out a sob. Loki had managed it and now Tony was shuddering with yearning. His cock was rock hard and aching, pulsing in Loki's delicate hand, hips squirming as the god pumped gently. His mind was shattering in a fog of lust.

"I hate you, I hate you," Tony whined.

"I know," Loki said. "Close your eyes and relax. It'll feel good, I promise."

"I'd rather die than stay here!"

Loki slipped a finger into him and speeded his jerking. Tony was bucking, grinding back on the finger. "You're an arrogant, fucking whack-job. I don't know why I ever trusted you! I was so stupid."

Loki pushed in a second finger, then a third. "Focus on the fingers in you. Focus on how they move inside of you. You're very close. Let yourself go."

"No!"

Loki moved, keeping his fingers in his precious boy, but leaned down now, sucking on Tony's cock now harder than Tony could ever remember. Tony made a bizarre yelping sound, his pelvis bucking hard against Loki's mouth and came in seconds. He saw stars behind his eyes, his body shuddering and releasing tension.

_I hate him. I hate him so much because he's right. He's always right. I do feel better._

Then the scene went still. Tony wheezed heavily on the bed, Loki sat up next to him and watched him carefully. Neither spoke or made eye contact with the other for a good fifteen minutes. The orgasm had released all the tension in Tony and he found he could think clearly at last. No more panic or fears, just the usual thrum of energy which boiled up his thoughts and made him deliberate intensely.

Loki had moved away now. Tony watched him sitting in front of the fireplace, his head in his hands.

He pushed himself onto his side, his hands still bound tightly behind his back. "Look… I'll stay for a few days. You can fuck and punish me as much as you want. But then you have to send me back."

"No."

"Loki," Tony said, softly but firmly, like he was talking to a cornered animal. "You know there's a reason you've never even considered doing this before. You've never _seriously_ considered doing this. You know that this is going to destroy me. Knowing that the Avengers are back there, that they need me, that they could die without me. Losing everything, having nothing to do for days on end but wait until you're horny. Loki, this is going to kill me. You know that. You'll always have a toy, but _I_ would die."

"I won't let it happen. I will keep you Tony Stark. Even if that means you have to hate me to hold onto your spirit, then so be it."

"So you're just going to fuck me while I hate you? While I fight? Loki, you're going to spend the rest of our lives raping me?"

Loki trembled and glared at Tony furiously. Clearly, the word wasn't one that had ever occurred to Loki in context with his boy. "I would make love to you. Take you in the most wonderful ways."

"While I fought and cursed you?"

Loki smirked nastily. "You always do, boy."

Tony waited for the cocky tone and manner in Loki to die in the lack of Tony's answering desire. "You know there's a difference," Tony said firmly. "You know there's a difference between fighting and not wanting. Willing and unwilling. Loki… just look at your hand."

Tony had noticed it long before Loki had. Loki looked down and Tony saw his widening eyes as the shock caught him temporarily off guard. The cross scar on his hand from the binding was once again glowing white.

The scar that had been formed by Tony's reluctance during the ceremony of þjá ey.

"I don't know anything about magic," Tony said slowly, "but I'm guessing that's a sign you've crossed a line here."

Loki scowled angrily and turned fiery eyes on Tony now. "Why must you make this so hard? I need to keep you safe." He suddenly up on his feet, pacing, throwing his hands up and shouting at Tony. "You make it sound as though I have committed some sort of crime! By taking the one I love from danger!"

"You know what you've done is wrong, that's why you're so angry."

"I am _angry_ for I have an ungrateful thrall who does not thank me for my kindness. In saving him from a world that could hurt him, kill him! A foolish, ungrateful little whore! Who thinks of nothing but his own pleasures and does not consider how the destruction of his life might ruin those around him!"

_Fair description_ Tony had to admit. "Come here, Loki," Tony whispered soothingly.

"No. No you stay still and reflect on your behaviour," Loki snapped, not looking at Tony. He was trying to assert control. People who are _trying_ to assert control, have none.

"Loki, please," Tony purred. "Come here."

Loki glared at him suspiciously, but sat next to him. Tony forced his way up into a sitting position and captured Loki's mouth gently. He met stiffness and coolness, but it didn't take much coaxing to get Loki to loosen. Tony pressed his lips against his, humming gently, tongue probing, and teeth nibbling the bottom lip while giving Loki the mischievous eyes like he knew the god loved. Soon, Loki was kissing back in earnest.

_Oh yeah, this playboy's got skill._

"You don't want to do this to me," he whispered between kisses. Loki's body tensed, but didn't pull away. "I love you and I know you want to keep me safe. But you're going about it all wrong. You're hurting me so much."

The god sucked in a breath slightly.

Tony pressed home his advantage. "The thing is, I can't fight you. Not really. You'll do what you want and all I can do is hope that you know what you're doing. I hope you do, because if you're wrong, you'll destroy me and everything we have."

Loki's eyes are actually shining with tears. Tony never believed he'd see that.

Loki stood and walked away, moving erratically. Then he shouted, no words just a burst of expressive sound. His staff appearing and a bolt was fired into the bedroom/bathroom divider. It shattered in blue light, a thousand splinters rocketing everywhere.

He panted, growling, shaking his head and muttering something heavy in Asgardian.

In fact, he didn't seem to be able to stop speaking Asgardian. He yelled at Tony and exclaimed for several long minutes and Tony unfortunately couldn't understand a word of it. He caught words, bobbing up like debris in the flood of Loki's tirade, words like bjóna, mein, vald and the phrase gór mik eigi repeated again and again, but he didn't know what it meant.

The god suddenly spat something that Tony would have bet everything he owned was a bad word. The god laughed bitterly and said something more, but in a darker mutter than the previous yelling.

Tony waited. He cleared his throat. "I don't want to interrupt the tantrum or anything, but I haven't understood a word you said."

"Roughly translated," Loki hissed petulantly, "I'm going to kill you, you thankless, manipulative little terror."

Tony paused. "O-kay…"

He waited. Loki was just shaking his head, rubbing eyes and muttering Asgardian in a low, livid tone.

"Do you want to punish me?"

"Very much so," Loki snapped. "But not now. I have never and will never punish you when I'm angry. I would not know when to stop. A punishment is a correction. I correct, I don't torture and right now..." Loki laughed bitterly again. His hand was griping and releasing this staff with the kind of nervous moment he did when he was considering using it.

Tony decided to stay silent. _Ha! _Tony Stark had never stayed silent in his life. "Well… you know where I am if you change your mind."

He waited. Got bored and asked, "If you do want to take me away from Earth, why not Asgard like you've always said you would?"

_Not a smart move. _

"Oh yes?" Loki said with venom. "So that you can go running to Thor like a little victim and beg him to take you back to Midgard? Flashing your pretty eyes at him and suddenly he's your great defender? You are staying here!"

_Damn. He got me._ "Just a thought," Tony said with a shrug.

"You must trust me to make these decisions."

"I want to trust you. I do. But you've gone very crazy eyed at the moment and it's a little freaky."

Loki flew over and pushed Tony against the bed, one hand against his neck. "You are an obnoxious, infuriating child! Your lack of any kind of restraint between your mouth and your brain will give me constant reason to flog you into submission!"

"I wouldn't worry, love," Tony said blandly. "A few decades like this and I'll stop smart alec stuff. I imagine I won't even fight when you bend me over your knee. Won't that be fun for you? To have a quiet little boy so obedient and submissive?"

Loki pulled away. "No… no it would not…"

He sat down heavily on the bed. Tony took the silence to try to work out how he was feeling. Anger, yes. Betrayal, yes. But not hate. No matter what he had hissed at the brink of his climax, he didn't hate Loki. Loki was scared. Tony understood, even if he wanted to kick the god in the nuts for it. Loki wanted Tony safe. It was hard to hate someone who wanted you happy, but still…

_He must be the only guy in the universe who manages to destroy things with love._

"Loki," Tony whispered. When Loki finally raised his head, meeting his eyes, Tony gave him a half smile. Maybe Tony was trying to comfort the god, but Tony needed this as much as Loki did. "Come on, love. Come take me."

Loki stared at him before his clothes shimmered away and moved over Tony with a desperate need. Tony gave in to the kisses and licks around his face and neck. The cuffs disappeared and he pulled Loki close. "That's it," Tony whispered. "It's okay."

Loki shuddered. "I'm sorry."

"Yeah."

They were still for a long time, Loki slumped in Tony's arms, Tony stroking his head and back.

_Fuck. This is a whole new sort of relationship._

Tony felt curiously lacking in the tools he needed to be the adult in the relationship. He was only now beginning to realise how much… support Loki needed. It had all been so focused on Tony and his neurosis and all the while, Loki was boiling up into this. Crazy psycho mode.

_But he didn't hurt me. Not in full psycho mode did hurt me. Not really. That's something right?_

For someone to think they were so above you that they could forcibly imprison you for your own good… to powerfully coax someone into orgasm while they screamed stop just to get them to calm down… to force a collar a their neck…

Loki was a mad god and it was one of those days where that fact was more obvious.

Tony glanced down and saw the white cross on Loki's hand slowly fading away, leaving behind only the scar.

After a long while, Loki pulled himself away and rubbed his face with his hands, seemingly trying to pull himself back together.

Tony sighed and pulled on his trousers.

"No, don't do that." Loki said, but his voice was weak.

"Be quiet," Tony said firmly.

Loki's eyes fell to the floor. All power needs is a vacuum, after all. And if Loki wasn't in charge right now, then someone would be. "Collar. Get it off." Tony said.

Loki glared up through, his look tired and petulant. Childish. Then he made a small gesture with his hands; the lock snapped open and the leather tell to the floor.

Tony picked it up, examining minutely.

"You're still mine," Loki said, again, still petulant. Still childish.

Anger had replaced fear, but the fear was still pulsing. Now that things had settled, the fear had once again given way to anger. To believe himself so above Tony, _the_ Tony Stark… power play in sex, obviously. But to make this decision unilaterally, such a life changing decision because Loki thought it was best?

_The little fucking fuck._

Loki, it seemed, could almost hear the thoughts in his head. "I did what was best for us."

"You're not the best one to be making the relationship decisions."

Loki smirked angrily. "Really? If it were left to you, we would still not be bound."

Tony glared. "That's not how I remember it. _I _said it was time. _I_ said it was time, that day on my birthday, _I_ made the decision."

"You said-"

"Is that what you believe?" Tony demanded. "All this time, you thought I only gave in because you would have made me anyway? Seriously. You arrogant little fuck, there's nothing you could have done to me that day that I couldn't have held out against if I didn't want it. I _chose_ the binding. I chose it when I was ready. You did nothing, you shit."

Loki's shoulders slumped back, his head dropping and his eyes fixed on the floor. He looked completely deflated.

Tony licked his lips, shivering slightly. "You ignored our safe word."

Loki sighed and nodded. "I'm sorry."

"I don't think sorry is good enough. I think I get punished all the time. I think it's your turn."

Loki looked up briefly with glittering green eyes. He was sceptical, suspicious. Tony reached out a stroked his fingers over Loki's shoulder. "I want you naked."

Loki was still sitting, staring at the floor. Tony took his courage in his hands, grabbed the black hair and yanked the head back to meet his eyes. "Now."

The god tilted his head and stood. Tony quickly grabbed his arm. "No magic."

Loki raised his hands and slowly unclothed, dropping item by item onto the floor. A slow striptease. Tony licked his lips and watched enjoyably. Loki undressing was like a marble sculpture being revealed.

Tony's eyes travelled the body pale possessively. The collar was still in his hand and the desire was overwhelming. "I need cuffs," he said.

Loki held his gaze for a long time. Tony didn't doubt Loki would tell him where they were, but this long wait was just a way of Loki maintaining his control. Tony's hand flew out and smacked Loki's face. "Did you hear me?"

"Yes," Loki hissed. "I heard you. Second cabinet. Third drawer."

Tony walked over and pulled out the drawer. There were various types, but true to their relationship, Tony only found himself excited by the leather ones. Some looked pretty brutal, barbed spikes lining the inside which looked like it could tear up skin and muscle. Ouch.

Privately hoping those never made an appearance, he pulled out a pair he recognised and moved back to his pale statue. "I suppose you could just break out of these."

"I will not," Loki said quietly.

"I won't feel the same if you can just break free if you want."

_I want him to feel what I feel. I want him to feel as good as he makes me.  
_  
"I would suggest that the idea that I _could_ break free yet do not is just as exciting." Loki smiled, for the first time since they started this new, weird game. "I'm sure it will feel incredible no matter what, Tony."

"Don't flirt with me. You're still in trouble."

Tony pulled the wrists behind Loki's back. As Tony bound them, he realised for the first time how slender and delicate Loki's hands and wrists were.

"Down."

Loki lingered on his feet.

Tony hesitated now. "I… I'm not doing this if..." he suddenly felt very unsure of what he was doing. He didn't know why. Or if he even should.

The tension was broken by Loki's laugh. "Oh my darling, you really don't know how to do this, do you? Where's the fun if I obey so soon?"

"I want you to want this."

"Then do it. And do it properly. I am a god. There's nothing you can do to harm me permanently. Enjoy."

Loki's natural tone was music to Tony's ears. For a long time, Loki's miserable behaviour was making Tony wonder if he was going too far. If this wasn't the time, if Loki was already too raw and too hurt. All such qualms now gone, he smacked Loki hard on his pale ass.

"I thought I told you to get down," he growled.

Loki dropped to his knees and Tony saw the vague, appreciative smile on the thin lips.

Tony pulled the collar round Loki's neck and locked it. "That's nice." he said, stroking his hands through the black hair as he circled, surveying his god.

_All mine.  
_  
Tony knelt down behind Loki and dropped sweet kisses down his back. He moved round and sucked until the god was hard. Tony could feel the slight tremble in Loki's frame, the flexing of his muscles as the god fought to hold himself back.

To obey.

Tony had been scared. He was still angry. But he loved Loki so much; he didn't want to argue until they both felt better. He didn't want to _talk_ about his feelings. Urgh. Tony wanted to mend this through sex.

Tony kissed the pale chest. "Can I keep going?"

Loki smiled a little uncertainly now. "I have not been restrained since Thanos."

Tony's insides writhed in hot guilt. "It's not like that."

"I trust you, my love."

Tony kissed the rich tasting mouth for some time before bending Loki over the bed carefully. Slowly. Loki was a god and could easily escape. Tony didn't for a second want to do anything that made Loki even vaguely consider it.

Tony moved over to the large cabinet and pulled open the double doors. Various toys were hung up in there and, again, the ranged from the ones that Tony knew so well to some which were… brutal, to say the least.

He glanced over at his mad god, still posed so beautifully, his ass in the air, waiting for Tony.

"Lots of stuff in here I'm hoping never sees the light of day." he said.

"Not with you," Loki said simply.

Tony was sceptical. "Well, you have this stuff for a reason."

"I've had a thousand years to collect, Tony. And I've played with species far more resilient than your own."

"But I'm the first human?"

The silence said it all.

"I'll punish you for that then, too."

"In all fairness, Tony, you were not as yet born."

"That's no excuse. And don't call me Tony. And don't even think of calling me boy."

Then came Loki's first, and, if Tony had his way, last sneer of the evening. "Do you wish me to call you Iron Man?" He spat.

"No." Tony thought. "I only want to hear love from you."

"Yes... My love," Loki said delicately.

Tony smiled. "Yeah. I like that. This is my evening, and you're going to thank me for it, aren't you?"

"Yes, love."

"Good."

_Well, this is weird and exciting..._

Tony picked out a riding crop and the cattle prod out of the cabinet. He walked over and put the prod on the bed by Loki's face. He couldn't help but notice Loki's slight roll of the eyes and twitching smile on his face.

He was playing his temporary role as submissive with far more wiliness than Tony had secretly hoped he would. He couldn't help voicing the thought as he stoked the beautiful skin beneath him.

"I am curious, my love. Of what you are going to do."

_Fuck knows. I'm winging it._

Tony raised the crop and brought it down across Loki's ass. Loki moved slightly, but was otherwise silent.

Of course, Tony was only human. His strength wasn't going to vaguely match what was needed here. Tony smiled. He would just have to do it for longer then.

"Let's start with a couple of questions, shall we?" Tony asked, trying to mimic Loki's purr. It probably sounded awful. "Like since when the hell were you and Doom so chummy?"

"I told you," Loki said, slowly and calmly. "He approached me about an alliance some time ago-"

"Which you accepted."

"No." Loki's tone was gentle, but firm. It was like he was talking to a crazy person, slowly and calmly, working every sentence into a lull he could pour into Tony. Placating. "I did not accept, or refuse. To do either would have put me at a disadvantage and immediately make him suspicious. Even working together, we would not have been allies. He wanted the code and deniability in your death. I wanted you, albeit, not for the reason I expounded to Doom. It was an alliance built on what one could do for the other. No more."

"You two seemed pretty pally," Tony repeated. He pressed on, looking for reasons to be angry rather than believing it. "How do I know something's not there?"

Loki gave a tired little snort of laughter. "If that is the reason you would like to use to beat me, go right ahead my love."

"Answer the fucking question."

Loki seemed to take a moment to phrase his answer. "I… you have used the word before, I cannot remember… I… flirt. Flirtation. It is as natural a response in me as it is with you, love. We… charm the world. It's easier to get our way, isn't it? When all who look at us see us through a vague haze of desire."

_Well… yeah. Sure. _

Tony ran the crop down Loki's back gently, using it to trace the muscles in his back. He was usually too high on pain or pleasure to really notice Loki's body for all the splendour it held. Like all those medical diagrams which showed you what a male body could look like, if the owner had the time, money and inclination to build up the muscle tone and definition. Loki's body had it built in. And unlike Thor, who was nothing but bulk, Loki also had softness in his lines.

He was, in a word, perfect. Without a cumbersome electric magnet sticking in his chest to spoil the flow. Tony could run his hands from the man's head to his legs and not find one scar or blemish… save the criss-cross on his hand.

Tony smiled to himself. This was going to be fun.

"No more hanging out with Victor. And you're going to tell me where his HQ is."

Loki strained to look over his shoulder, meeting Tony's eyes. "No."

"No what?"

Loki's mouth twitched in that way that boded mischief. "No sir?"

Tony dropped the crop with a hard smack. "Cute. But not what I meant and you know it."

"No, I will not cease contact with Doom. He has a death owing to him and I am keen to deliver. And I will not tell you where his headquarters are. I do not trust you."

"You don't trust me with your new best friend?"

"I do not trust you not to be a fool!" Loki shouted. "I will deal with Doom. I will deal with him. You will stay here were you are safe and away from Doom, from SHIELD, from the beast, from Thor-"

"Get the fuck over Thor!"

"Everything I have ever owned has been stolen from me."

"What, did Thor nick your teddy bear once?"

"My life, my world, my identity, my throne, my heritage, everything! I will not lose you; I will burn the Nine Realms to ashes before I release you."

Tony felt the shock of Loki's convictions rush through him, because he knew beyond doubt that Loki wasn't lying or exaggerating. Loki would murder and destroy and… and fuck knows, all for Tony. The idea scared the playboy.

_Something to address later, I think._

But there was still one matter to address. "The code. To my suit."

Loki went still.

"Explain to me your reasoning there, _my god_."

Loki licked his lips. Tony enjoyed the sight. It made his cock start to twitch. "Take your time Loki. This has got to be a big lie you're spinning."

"No lies. The truth."

"Oh, this should be good."

"I fail to see why you are confused or surprised. The answers seem obvious. But go ahead, ask your questions."

"You're pretty cocky for a guy tied up with his ass in the air."

Loki's eyes flashed. "You're pretty cocky yourself, my love. Why don't you come over here and let me fix that?" A wet, pink and incredibly talented tongue flicked out over Loki's thin lips.

Tony groaned internally. _Fucking talented fucker. But he's not going to distract me... he's probably going to distract me, okay. But not yet._

"Why did you try to make me give you the code?"

"To exchange for your life."

"Would you have given him the real one?"

"Yes?"

"Why?" Tony demanded.

Loki laughed again. "Why not? What do I care who has your suit?"

"Doom's a bad guy."

"As I am. Ask your questions, Tony."

"If he had taken the code, would you have helped me get my suit back?"

"Probably not."

Tony was disappointed, but not surprised. Or confused. All logical, obvious answers. Loki was a devious, two faced fucker but on some level, some really weird level, he was the most honest guy Tony knew.

Loki looked at him. "What is the point, love, working over and over the whys and reasons? Come on, love. We've talked enoug-"

Smack! "I'll decide when we've talked enough, Loki."

Loki hissed slightly, arching. Tony ran his fingers through the black hair, waiting for the muscles in the white back to relax. "I am my suits. You sell them out, you sell me out. Get it?"

Loki muttered something Asgardian. Tony wasn't having it. "You what?" he snapped.

Loki sighed. "I have never known such devotion to armour."

"It's not just armour," Tony growled. "You just don't get it."

"No. I do not."

"What if I was able to take your magic from you?" He watched Loki flinch and nodded. "Yeah. Exactly."

Loki went silent. Thinking. Tony watched the sadness and the pain, and perhaps finally understood why Loki was determined to see Tony writhing in orgasm rather than this quiet, melancholy thinking. And Tony himself would be saved from thinking in his efforts to make Loki cum.

Tony was seeing this from Loki's perspective for once. This expanse of beautiful pale skin, someone Tony owned completely. Or wanted to own completely. But Loki was so wild and uncontrollable and Tony wanted Loki to be here. Entirely. In body and soul and mind, just here for Tony.

"We're going to have to start telling people about... us."

"It is your decision to make, my love. I hope I have always made that clear."

Tony raised his arm and brought the crop down hard. It took almost fifteen minutes before Tony was satisfied. He had been about to give up when Loki finally began to squirm in that familiar way. The aching in the muscles of Tony's arms evaporated as he watched the hypnotic sight, Loki's ass undulating and growing increasingly red.

Finally, not sure how much longer he could keep going, Tony dropped the crop, panting slightly. He reached out and stroked the hot skin. Loki hissed pleasurably.

"I'm beginning to see the appeal..." Tony breathed.

Loki chuckled in response but stayed still. "Only ever with you, Tony." Loki soft words were as much as a warning as a compliment.

Tony was incredibly hard at this point, so he moved onto the bed, kneeling by Loki's mouth and unzipped himself. He stroked Loki's hair before feeding himself into the open and warm mouth.

This was strange, Loki so tender and submissive. As amazing as it was, Tony couldn't deny that usual the desperate, tremulous excitement wasn't there. It was like… like an animal inside of him, struggling and fighting against Loki's control, until Loki finally opened up the cage and let it free, which usually meant a full bodied orgasm.

Now it was like the thing inside of him was just reacting to needs without discrimination. Without Loki's control, it wasn't heaven on earth. It was just sex.

But that didn't mean he wanted it to end.

_Fuck no! This was way too good an opportunity to give up!_

"Fuck yes, that feels good," Tony breathed delightedly, thrusting his hips back and forth against Loki's mouth. Loki responded by taking Tony deeper.

Tony's head threw back and he shuddered. But as he felt the pulsing growing stronger, he realised he was too close for this. Reluctantly, he forced himself to pull out and slapped Loki round the face. "Don't try to make me cum before I've finished using you," he panted heatedly.

Loki just smiled wickedly. Tony moved back round, pulling a bottle of oil he had looted from the cabinet earlier. He poured a good amount over Loki and his hand.

He paused, his over whelming desire to be in Loki temporarily blinding him to all else. But what Loki had taught him; if nothing else, was that you had to draw these things out. He recovered, pushing down his yearning with tremendous effort and redirecting his attention. Looking down on the milky skin, his hand still dripping with oil, he reached out and hesitantly worked the oil into Loki's lower back.

"Get on the bed."

Loki complied. Tony re-cuffed him so his arms were out in front of him. He jumped off the bed and found the corresponding anchor ring in the side of the divan. Loki knew what he was looking for, but before he could answer, Tony cut him off. "Quiet, or I'll gag you. And I won't get to hear your pretty moans."

Tony couldn't keep asking Loki where everything was, or else he was just playing in Loki's world. He pulled open the drawers, either wincing or getting strongly turned on by some of the things he found there. As much as he wanted to punish Loki right now, part of him wanted to walk over with these things and beg Loki to show him how they worked.

_How they work on me, of course._

He found a length of chain and managed to secure the cuffs to the bed. It was then he noticed the vague squirming. Tony picked up the cattle prod, glancing quickly at the setting to make sure it wasn't high, and caught Loki unawares with a zap to the man's side.

Loki hissed and arched.

"I saw that," Tony said, shaking his finger with a school teacher air. "No grinding against the sheets. You'll cum when I want you to."

Loki chewed his tongue, giving Tony an evil look. But his voice was so pleasant. "Yes, my love."

Tony was in the middle of a plan here, but the words were beautiful, he was redirected for a moment. He bent down and ran the cattle prod along Loki's jawline gently, his thumb stroking the trigger button. "Now then, my beautiful liesmith," Tony breathed and delighted in Loki's pleasurable shudder. "Kiss me."

Loki hazy look of love was making Tony melt. The god leaned forward and kissed Tony. It was a kiss that might have gone on for hours or minutes. Neither of them knew or cared. Tony sighed. "I liked that," he breathed.

"Yes, I liked that too, so let me cum," Loki said. The old tone was back. So smooth and arrogant, elegant and well bred… such a fucking little sex psycho.

Tony smiled. "I'll consider it."

He climbed back up onto the bed, kneeling over the stretched body. "But at the moment, I have more work to do."

He pulled back the oil, pouring half of it over Loki's back. "Stay still."

He rubbed into Loki's muscles, doing his level best to mimic what he had felt Loki do. He was convinced that he wasn't managing it until he heard the soft groan. "Do you like that?" he breathed.

Loki nodded.

"Then tell me." _I need to know I'm doing this right._

"Everything is perfect," Loki said in another groan.

"Good," Tony said, his relief evident.

When he was finally satisfied with the warm, relaxed body beneath him, he moved down, using more oil and stretching Loki with his fingers. He was rewarded with a guttural moan from Loki.

Tony pushed faster, punch drunk on Loki's responsiveness. "You like that, don't you." he groaned, loving the tight feeling of Loki wrapped around his fingers.

"Yes, love."

In his mind's eye, Tony put himself back in Loki's position, trying to remember exactly what Loki did to him. Tony did his best to duplicate it and soon Loki's hips were grinding back, trying to force more of Tony's hand inside.

Tony smiled and smacked him hard. The oil now gleaming on Loki's skin made the blow to the skin sharper. Loki jerked back beautifully.

"Stay still," Tony panted with the effort of keeping himself thinking straight. He was getting hard again and very quickly.

_Fuck I want to be in him. Not yet.  
_  
Tony pulled away and heard Loki's silent whining growl. "I want you to want it."

"Assuredly I do."

"Now, if you're still able to say something like 'assuredly', then you're not desperate enough. You're not getting what you want until your babbling like I do."

Loki looked round over his shoulder, through hair which had fallen into his face and Tony saw the lingering sight of Loki, the power crazed god. "Love... You will give in to your lust before I do."

Tony glared. "Yeah? We'll see. Change. Into Jotun."

Loki obeyed. Tony gazed dreamily. "And you still don't fucking see it," he muttered angrily. He wrenched the chains away and dragged the blue arms so Loki was finally standing again. He pulled the god into the bathroom area and in front of a large mirror.

Even before Tony could speak, he noticed the quick flicker in Loki's eyes as he avoided looking at his reflection.

"Why can't you see what I see?" Tony crooned. He forced Loki to his knees and moved behind him. "You once said you'd take me on front of the mirror so I could see whatever it is I'm supposed to be doing with my eyes that makes you think I'm such a good little slut. Which I still think is a load of shit. Well I'm taking you in front of a mirror now, so you can see what I see when you cum in me, so you'll understand why I love you so much."

Tony released Loki's hands so the god could pull himself up into a doggie position as Tony sank all the way into the hilt. The playboy groaned hard and fought away his every need to cum there and then.

_He bonded with me, but I also bonded with him. And if fucking þjá ey_ _is ever going to help me, please, give me to strength to hold out, just this once._

Tony thrust, deep and hard, angling until he found the spot that made Loki groan.

"Yes, there! There my love!" Loki begged.

Tony nodded, gasping for breath, hitting that spot again and again.

_Hopeless, that's what you are, Tony. Here you are, an opportunity to be on top, yet you're more focused on making it good for him._

Tony knew Loki was close. The god shuddered, his eyes closing, his head curling onto his chest.

"No!" Tony hissed. Without thinking, he reached up and grabbed Loki's hair, pulling his head up violently until he saw Loki's red eyes on himself. Tony's other hand reached round and stroked the cold cock furiously. "That's it, that's it my god. You're so amazing, don't hide from yourself," Tony begged.

"T-on-y," Loki gasped, arching, pounding back. "Yes!"

Tony felt the body beneath him shudder, explode and fall forward. Tony followed quickly, reposition to he could hammer into the supine figure. "Fuck, fuck." he breathed as he got closer. "Loki!"

He released and finally the room was silent.

Almost silent. It still had a Tony Stark in it after all. "Fucking hell that was amazing." he breathed.

Loki nodded but didn't speak.

"Come on, let's get in the bed," Tony muttered. "It's cold on the floor."

"It's cold on the floor?" Loki repeated incredulously. "You're fucking an ice giant, Tony."

Tony smacked the icy backside. "Language," he scolded with some glee. "And we're not done yet."

Loki followed Tony back to the bed, his Asgardian form shimmering back on Tony's command. Tony pulled the man into his arms, tucking Loki's head into his neck. "Let's close our eyes for a bit. Then you can suck me."

"Yes, my love."


	50. Chapter 50: Lie to me

For something that had started so violently, it had passed like a bad dream even before the week was over. Tony had spent a day with Loki, culminating in a rapid reversal of roles when Loki finally tired of Tony's attempts at domination and bent his boy over a cabinet, reminding him of his place. Tony had never cum so hard in his life.

After that, there had been another uncomfortable discussion of protective and possessiveness, this time they talked a little more calmly and each a little more aware of the others position. Loki had been truculent, but conceding. Tony had been firm, but understanding. A new level of their relationship seemed to have been reached, where the… the playtime was more easily switched on and off.

That's difficult to explain. Basically, they were beginning to understand when the other wanted to play and when they didn't. There were times Loki needed Tony to be the boy, and when he needed him to be Tony. In the same way that Tony needed Loki to be Loki sometimes and other times, the god.

Tony didn't like introspection. He didn't want to over think, or think at all about what this was, where they were going. He didn't want to sit and put names to 'this'. But being with Loki was complicated and difficult and while it was immensely rewarding, there were pitfalls.

Loki was a broken down 1971 Hemi 'Cuda convertible. _Just bear with me here._

Loki was a broken down 1971 Hemi 'Cuda convertible. An amazing, historic car which Tony would do anything to own. It was broken down, sure, but Tony knew he could repair it. _Hey, I'm Tony Stark._ And if he spent the money, the time, the effort, it was going to be bliss riding it. But the fucker was dangerous and if he wasn't careful, the engine would explode in his face.

_Okay. It is possible to push a metaphor too far._

And besides, Tony already owned two of only eleven 1971 Hemi 'Cuda convertibles in the world. _And Loki's not a muscle car anyway. He's a lot sleeker than that. Loki's an Aston Martin One-77. Every time you think you know what the Aston Martin is, something new appears and you're in love again. But still old and classy in the way that no other car is._

Tony frowned, suddenly not sure if he was thinking about Loki or cars anymore.

Anyway, whatever or however the two choose to define their relationship, it was stronger for their time switching roles, if only for a day. All in all, by the time Loki had returned Tony to the tower, they were in a good place. If that were possible.

But Tony knew, like a rat could sense a sinking ship, that things were going from bad to worse with his friends and the Avengers. He had to figure out some lie, or how to tell the truth. He couldn't hide in Loki's world forever.

Natasha was very close to figuring it out now. Steve was suspicious. Thor was furious, Bruce was scared.

The peace Tony was currently living in wasn't to last long as very soon all of SHIELD was to find out about the pair, but looking back on the fortnight after Doom and before everything kicked off, Tony remembered two days of absolute bliss. Two days that he could live in forever.

Those two days had begun on Tuesday evening, though they hadn't started well. Tony was up to his eyes in paperwork. Usually, he avoided it like the plague. But once the mounds of paper and folders had finally collapsed his table, he took that as a sign to start ploughing through it.

Mostly, he just had to read it and sign his name. But he really did have to read it. Jimmy was getting smart. Tony had been signing things without reading them. Then Jimmy would do something monumentally stupid and when Tony confronted him, the man would wave the offending document and say 'but you signed off on it'.

Devious asshole.

There was a vague pounding in his head, which Tony would have put down to the fact that he had been reading for like forever, but it was accompanied by a vaguely sick feeling and a prickling in his skin. That meant it was þjá ey related. Loki must be in a different realm.

"I could do with some food."

"Yes sir. And what would you like today?"

"Food." Tony pulled another folder towards him. "It never ends."

He felt the prickling disappear, the sick feeling vanish. But the headache was still there. Huh. So it was the fact that he was drowning in convoluted paragraphs.

"Hey Loki," Tony sighed, not looking round.

Loki walked over and sunk into a large chair next to Tony's desk. His usual armour shimmed into the tight black jeans and green dress shirt with a black t-shirt underneath. "On and on and on," Loki muttered to himself.

Tony raised an eyebrow and Loki looked apologetic. "Not you, love. Odin."

Tony found it suddenly impossible to keep his mind on the paperwork. He forced himself to finish another two paragraphs before looking up again. The lack of attention from his god was… unusual to say the least. Loki's mind seemed to be wandering, his eyes fixed on the far distance.

Beautiful.

Tony was glad Loki was here, though he'd never tell him that. But he was also… it had been a long day and the idea of descending into a night of sex was an exhausting thought. _Fuck, I'm getting old._ But it's not like he could ever really say no.

He pulled himself together. "So... Are we going to fuck?" Tony asked with a cheeky smile.

Loki woke up from whatever thoughts he had been stuck in and rubbed his face. For the first time, sex looked like the furthest thing from his mind too. "No. Unless you wish?"

Tony raised an eyebrow. "Well, no, actually. Long day."

"Indeed."

_Ah. And here it is._ After so long together, they might just finally be admitting they needed something more from each other than sex. Finally, they might just be admitting that they just needed each other.

Tony sat awkwardly for a few moments, then went back to work.

It was a quiet afternoon, Loki reading, Tony fighting his way through the piles and piles of dossiers. It was comfortable and although they didn't speak a word to each other, both were just glad the other was there.

Tony finished… well, he didn't finish. He'd never be finished. At some point you just choose to stop. But at least the table could take the weight now. "Jarvis, can you organise a courier to take these back to the office?"

"Yes sir."

Tony stood and Loki followed. It was almost like magnets, when one moved, the other followed. They walked in silence to the elevator and stepped in when the doors slid open. "You're quiet," Tony commented.

"So are you."

"I generally need a prompt. Can't just be funny, like, out of the blue. I need the banter. I can stand here and rant, in fact that's probably what I'm doing now, but you're not going to get Stark gold unless I have something to bounce off."

As they walked into the living room, Tony felt the void where the feverish sexual drive would normally be. This was where, for Tony at least, a relationship would end. In the past. The sex stopped and… and that was it.

_Don't really have a choice now; I have to make this work._

With a certain amount of trepidation, Tony offered food in the form of a takeaway sushi and a movie. He expected Loki to refuse. To leave. At least make some kind of barbed snide comment.

But Loki just shrugged casually. "If you wish, love. I have no objections."

"But you don't want to?"

"I would not say that. I have not eaten sushi, nor have I watched a movie. I do not know how I'd feel about either activity."

Tony felt a little bolster to his confidence. "And you'll stay the night?"

"I would like to."

"Well, what sort of host would you be if I kicked you out?"

When the food arrived and Tony had made his movie choice, he waved Loki in from the platform. The god had been ambling around the tower with nothing apparently on his mind. He looked… more at home than he used to. Usually he was tense and angry until he got Tony back to their windowless home.

Tony suspect that 'home' was still Loki's preferred choice of venue, but at least he was trying now. That was important. He walked back in and moved to sit on the sofa with Tony.

"We're watching Star Wars," Tony said. "I've wanted to watch it again for ages and it's always fun watching it with someone who hasn't seen it before."

"Star Wars?"

"The great cultural pinnacle of mankind," Tony assured him, passing him a box of rice. "Can you use chopsticks?"

"Yes."

"Thor can't."

"I'm astonished," Loki said dryly. He ate delicately as Tony pressed play.

This was why Tony liked watching Star Wars with people who hadn't before. Loki, not completely removed from the usual human reactions, jumped like all do at the suddenness of the opening fanfare.

Tony smirked behind his hand, eating his Salmon Teriyaki Maki with smug delight.

By the time the Millennium Falcon was being brought onto the Death Star, the food had been finished and Tony and Loki were wrapped up together on the sofa, their attention on the screen.

Well, almost. Tony was far more interested in Loki's reactions. He seemed to be enjoying it. Tony wondered what he was thinking, what he was taking from it.

As the medals were given and the credits rolled past, Loki shifted, sitting up and rubbing his fingers through his hair.

Tony turned over on the couch to look up at the figure in the dark. "You liked?"

"Very much so."

"It's a trilogy. There's two more. We'll, technically there are five more, but we do not speak of one to three under this roof."

"Noted."

"And when they come out, we'll go see the Disney ones and laugh."

"If you say so."

"Loki, did you enjoy the movie?"

Loki turned eyes on Tony. "Yes, I did."

Tony sat up. "You understand, don't you? I can't live in your world. It will kill me. So you have to live in mine."

"And your world is Star Wars?"

"You know what I mean," Tony said weakly.

Loki reached out a hand and stroked the side of Tony's face. "Yes, my love," he purred. "I don't care where we are, so long as we are together."

Tony gazed into the green eyes, sighed sadly and pushed the hand away. "You're lying. You won't be happy until I'm locked away in our home or in Asgard."

"Maybe I am lying. Can you not simply enjoy the comforting words now and worry later?"

"You want me to enjoy the lie? Knowing it's a lie?"

"Yes. You more than anyone I've ever known, live in the moment and for the moment. Why change now?"

"Lie to me."

"I'll remain on Midgard, with you, in this tower. I will never harm you, or this world, anyone or anything ever again."

Tony leaned forward and kissed Loki gently. "Liar," he whispered. Then he stood and walked to the bedroom. "I'm tired. It's late and tomorrow is early... Or something like that."

He had wondered through the movie if the evening was going to descend into sex. But apparently not. Loki walked into the bedroom behind Tony and headed straight into the bathroom with the certain step of a Prince who expects everything.

"No, it's alright dear, you go first," Tony called petulantly.

Afterwards, when Tony stepped out, he found the god slipping into the bed in the green silk top and trousers he had worn in Asgard. Tony hesitated slightly, then pulled on a pair of pyjama bottoms and slipped in beside Loki.

An arm reached out and with a quiet strength which still made Tony uneasy, he was pulled into Loki's chest. He waited. Nothing.

"You know, I'm getting worried about you," Tony said, playing up the vexed tone. "We're wearing clothes in bed, you just want to hug. Don't tell me you're bored of me already." He realised vaguely he was holding his breath.

"You tiresome little boy."

Tony smiled, slightly bemused. "You know, I never used to turn in so early."

"You'll learn to take your rest where you can."

"That sounds like a threat."

"A promise."

"Loki, you tease." Tony found himself relaxing despite his natural inclination to scorn. A gentle hand was stroking his hair and neck. "I... Love you," he said quickly.

"And I love you. Now go to sleep."

Xxx

The next morning, they ate breakfast. Which was weird. Tony made eggs. He made good eggs and Loki watched him cook with a vaguely amused expression. Then it was… back to normal. Loki reading and Tony tinkering with the blueprints of a fusion coupler he was thinking of using in the AOTS.

But Tony's mind couldn't settle on his work. One thought was circling round and around his head, distracting him from his day of peace with Loki. Maybe it was… strike that. It _was_ Bruce, bloody Bruce who had planted the stupid thought and now it wouldn't let Tony be. He dropped the light pad on the table and joined Loki on the sofa.

Tony watched Loki until he gathered his thoughts. "What are you reading?"

Loki looked up over the edge of the book, his green eyes almost suspicious. "Why?"

"Just curious."

"You are indeed." Loki paused, seemingly waiting for a snappy comeback or a growl.

Tony waited silently.

"It's a book, Tony."

"About..."

"The arcane arts."

"It's a magic book?"

Loki rolled his eyes. "If you must."

Tony waited for more, but Loki's eyes returned to the book. Tony sighed. "You know, we never talk anymore."

"Did we in the first place?"

Tony moved forward, crawling next to Loki. The book looked old; the pages were thick but cracked and dusty. The writing was clearly elegant but full of strange symbols and diagrams that Tony couldn't understand.

Tony pointed to a random symbol. "What does that mean?"

Loki said a bizarre series of syllables.

"You what?"

"It refers to the concentration of magic needed for certain activities."

"What about that one?"

"Please don't touch the pages." Tony glared and Loki rolled his eyes again. "That is the symbol for the ratio of magic in any given area."

"Magic sounds weirdly mathematical. I had thought it would be more, you know, mystic, sort of thing."

"What are you doing?" Loki asked in an annoyed tone.

Tony sat quietly for a long moment before getting up off the couch. "Trying to talk to you. I don't know why I'm bothering. I talk. I talk all the time and I get nothing back from you from you but who cares? Because so long as I'm available for a booty call, who gives a fuck. I'll be in the lab."

Maybe half an hour later, Tony had buried himself into building his latest suit. His mind was bouncing from one invention to the other. That was generally a sign his heart wasn't in it. When he couldn't get invested in anything. This morning the AOTS, now the suit.

This one was designed to be fitted while driving. He was sitting on the floor, surrounded by parts of the car, the entire door taken off its hinges and the new elements for the suit scattered around, but in none the less intelligible piles.

He glanced up as boots appeared next to his screwdriver. "Busy. Sex later."

The problem was, as it always was, is that complex machinery likes space to breathe. Too much too close and the heat generated can lethal to the working operations. But if you want to get it into a car, you're already working with limited space. Some sort of hydraulics were probably called for here if he was going to get any long term use out of it. He didn't want this just to be a one-shot.

"When I talk, I am lying."

That sentence managed to wedge itself into Tony's brain and jar the motors of his mind. "What?"

"When I talk, I am lying," Loki repeated slowly. "When I sit and talk with someone, I'm scheming. I'm constantly and relentlessly trying to shift the conversation to my own ends. If I say this, he'll say that and I'll be able to suggest this and he'll walk away believing this. I do not tell the truth about anything unless it will serve my own ends. I'm not... relaxed when I speak. Conversations are battles to be won. Even when I speak love to you; my only concern is that you will believe it. That it will provoke the fire in you that I desire to see. But when I sit with you." Loki knelt, his face now level with Tony. "We sit in silence. It's peaceful. That is relaxing to me. When I can sit quietly with the man I love. And not have to perform or spin webs of lies. My mind can be silent when I'm with you."

Tony reached out a hand, touching Loki's wrist gently. "You can't just talk to me without the games?"

"No," Loki responded simply. "I honestly don't think I know how. I cannot swing an axe, Tony. Or fight with a long sword, or fire rockets. Initially, my words were just to keep me from the fights. To use on angry peers until they became so confused they would forget why we were fighting. To avoid battles I could not win. But then I began to realize that I could... bend people. With mere words I could encourage people to do what I wanted them to, and no one ever realized it was me who did the prompting. If I did it properly. I cannot... turn it off as you'd say. Can you turn off your pertinacity for machinery?"

Tony looked down at the door panel and saw, as if the blueprints were overlaid in his head, exactly were the last bracket should go if he was going to get the right reach and pivot on the arms.

"No."

"I like hearing you talk. I love how mindless it is."

"Thank you," Tony muttered sarcastically, taking up his screwdriver and locking down the secondary motor.

"You talk and talk, as though your brain were directly connected to your mouth. It must be so... freeing. Not to continually judge every word before it passes your lips on how it might or might not aid you." Loki tilted his head. "What is this about, my love?"

"Common interests," Tony grumbled. "We don't have any. Any out of the bedroom, obviously."

"Do we need any?"

"That's what I said."

"To whom?"

"Doesn't matter," Tony said quickly.

"Please stop spending time with your friends; it makes it very difficult for me to control you."

Tony's head snapped up and registered the slight sparkle in Loki's eyes. He snorted a laugh and asked incredulously, "Now what the fuck was that?"

Loki smiled. "That was me speaking without thinking."

"I take your point; clearly not a road we want to go down."

"You frustrate me by sleeping on the left side of the bed. That is my preferred side."

"Yeah, you can stop being honest now."

"You snore."

"Do not!"

"The fact that you spend so much time with Thor disturbs my sleep almost constantly."

Tony looked over at Loki in a moment of pity before saying, "Would you get the fuck over it?"

"I endeavour, but it is a jealousy that has spanned a millennium."

"So pretty pathological at this point."

"To say the least."

"You liked him once."

"I loved him, he was my brother. Is my brother. This does not change the fact that he, the preferred son was given everything and showed no respect for what he had been blessed with... he and I never saw eye to eye. But he never realised... I never told him. Far easier to convince him I was on his side then try to steer the oaf to finally appreciate his own folly."

Tony called over a robotic arm. "Okay, very carefully, we're going to lift the- ah! Ah! Wait for it! You're going to lift the door, I'm going to screw it back on and if you scratch the paint work, I'm sending you to the garbage compactor."

"You even talk to inanimate objects."

"Only when they bug me." Tony watched the robotic arm sceptically as it tried to gauge the weight of the door. Tony was fairly certain this was going to end in tears.

Loki sighed and...

"Fuck."

"Language."

Loki was holding the door in position. Tony smiled and jumped into the car, finding the bolts quickly and locking the door into place. "Impressive."

"God, Tony."

"Oh yeah. I forget sometimes." Tony sat back in the car, smiling at nothing.

A second later, the passenger door swung open and Loki joined him. Sitting in a car in a brightly lit lab, going nowhere, having a blast. Tony reached over and stroked Loki's cheek. Loki leant into the hand mutely.

"You don't have to bare your soul to me. That would be weird and it's not what I'm asking. Just talk to me."

"I will."

"No you won't. Liar."

"Maybe."

"You wanna see?" Tony pressed a button on the dash.

The sound of whirring motors and the driver's seat came alive in the small space. Arm on pivots folded out around his legs and he felt the metal plates pressing against him and being screwed together. Holes opened up on the dashboard and he put his hands in. His hand was immediately encased in the metal glove and the sliding plates scraped out and travelled up his arm. At the same time, the door panel opened up, an arm extending to push the back-plate behind him. It then extended out, meeting the leg braces, the arms and the chest piece. The traveling arms screwed everything together and two minutes later, the Iron Man had arrived.

"Two minutes, eight seconds. That's fucking terrible; it's going to have to be a lot faster than that." He turned to Loki. "What do you think?"

"I honestly do not care."

Tony felt the bitter anger claw his throat, but pushed it back. All his life, the people around him were always so impressed with him, with what he did. With his creations. Even if they hated him, they admired his genius. No matter how badly Pepper thought of him, come the end, she had always admired his genius. Loki seemed to be of the opinion Tony's genius was more a hindrance than a help.

"Fine. Back to snarky Loki mode are we?"

"Take the helmet off," Loki said, quietly and not a little dangerously.

Tony pulled the visor up and disconnected the connections that joined the helmet to the neck. He threw it onto the back seat. "It really bothers you, doesn't it?"

"Yes."

"Well, add that to the list of things you've got to get over." Tony counted off on his fingers. "So what is that; get over Thor. Get over the fact I'm the Iron Man. I don't snore."

"Yes you do."

"Get over your daddy-issues and I'll get over mine." Tony stepped out the car. "Eject." The suit panels dropped away and he stepped out the boots. "We should find… something. Something we can do together that doesn't involve exchanging quite so many fluids. I got it!" Tony exclaimed. He grabbed something from a draw and pushed a couple of boxes off a nearby table.

Tony sat down at the now cleared table. "Come over here."

"Why?" Loki asked lazily.

"I'm going to teach you how to play poker."

Loki now looked moderately interested. "Why?"

"Have you been listening to a word I'm saying? Don't answer that. It's something we can do together," Tony answered, shuffling the cards. "I love poker. Been playing it all my life. Of course, I'm banned from a fair few casinos in Vegas now. Well, except the ones owned by Caesars Entertainment and MGM – that's because I drop more at the bar than I gamble. They're smart enough to know it doesn't matter how much I win at the tables. The rest of them, they have this whole, you can't count cards bullshit thing. Seriously, how else are you supposed to win? I don't call that cheating; I call it strategizing. I remember, there was this one time in this back room in Vegas - this guy was convinced I had 'cheated' and stuck me with a knife."

"Do you remember his name?" Loki asked.

"Hell yeah; one of those pseudo gangster types." Tony dealt the cards. "Mickey O'Halloran. One of those Boston Irish turned card shark. Real sad. Should have been born the 1920s. Alright, nice and simple. Five Card Draw."

Tony talked it though slowly, delighted finally to get to play the teacher for once. Loki made clumsy mistakes but otherwise acquitting himself well on the first try. Tony won, naturally. "You get how this works?" he asked as he dealt again.

"I think I understand.," Loki said with a nod.

"Good, because it's going to get boring mopping the floor with you."

"Well, let us create a little more motivation to win." Loki smiled and it was a remarkably friendly smile. Not layered with the usual deviousness.

"You want to gamble? What with?"

"How about we gamble for truth?"

Tony raised an eyebrow. "What truth?"

"That's up to the winner."

Tony looked at him carefully. "Alllright…" he muttered. "Sure."

Loki smiled again and there was the hint of animal back. It was never far away. At the end of the round, he threw down his cards. Straight flush.

Tony looked up, his mouth open slightly… then grinned. "You sly fuck. You know how to play."

"Yes."

"But you didn't tell me?"

"You did not ask," Loki replied with a shrug.

Tony conceded the hand with good grace, shuffled and dealt again. "Oh, it's on this time."

"I wish to collect my winnings."

Tony sighed. "Go on then."

"What was so awful you called stop?"

"When?"

Loki looked at him seriously. "The only time you've ever called stop and meant it."

_Ah_. Tony rearranged his cards, glaring furiously at the two of spades. "You were asking about the Roadster."

"Yes."

"My father and I rebuilt the Roadster."

"Yes?"

Tony shrugged. "I don't talk about my father. Well, unless it's a publicity stunt. The public face of Howard Stark is a guy you want in your corner."

"And privately?"

"He was never violent," Tony said quickly. "He just… wasn't there. He was a drunk. Even when he was in the room, he wasn't there. And he was angry. All the time."

"Why?"

"Disappointment."

"Disappointed with what?"

"Me. Himself. The company. The world. Take your pick."

The next hand was silent, apart from the calls and dealing. Tony was playing far more carefully and intelligently than he had ever done before. He knew Loki was good, he could tell now the god was no longer playacting. It was pushing Tony to work harder than he had ever done before.

His mind was whirring. His body was buzzing.

He was having fun.

Tony smiled and lay down his cards.

"Full house," Loki said approvingly. "Impressive."

"Thank you. Did you bind with me as part of a master plan to get back into Asgard?"

Loki looked up, his face going blank. Innocent. Loki's default expression was always innocent. You couldn't catch him off guard because he naturally looked innocent. He placed his cards on the table, almost compulsively straightening the edges into a neat pile. Funny for a god of chaos.

"I want the truth."

"No, you do not."

"That bad?" Tony asked bitterly. "You started this game; you knew it had to lead here. Time to clear the air, Loki. Tell me the truth."

Loki tilted his head slightly, obviously thinking intensely. He didn't seem to come to any conclusion, but almost resignedly he sighed and spoke. "The truth. I wasn't in love with you until after I returned from Thanos. Though I started lusting after you at some point before my imprisonment and after I threw you out the window. Even I will admit that was hardly good timing. And while I was in love with you after my return that did not alter my belief that you were worth more as a tool for my schemes than a mate. I did not value you as a partner until after pja ey. Despite all this, I swear, you were mine the minute I decided not to kill you. I would have protected you and used you thoroughly, as I do all my belongings, even if I had never fallen in love with you. So, yes. I bound with you to return to Asgard. You have already seen how this union changed Odin and mother's opinion of me. In fairness, it could have been any Midgardian. But I choose you so I could at the same time injure Thor."

Tony waited a moment to process this before asking, "And you're telling the truth now?"

Loki made a small, shrugging gesture. "Perhaps."

"Fucker."

"You are not going to take this badly, are you my boy?"

Tony sat quietly, his eyes unfocused, staring at the floor. As his mind whirred, he heard Loki quietly stacking his chips.

Tony looked up and into the bright, intense green eyes. "I'm not mad. Or even surprised. You're such a devious fuck. I won't ever know what's going through your mind. I don't want to. That would make you boring."

Loki watched him carefully, like Tony was some beautiful creature who could suddenly turn and attack. Funny. It was always how Tony had seen Loki. "And you? You will now claim, I am sure, to have loved me from the first."

"No," Tony said. "I can't say I did."

"Then when?"

"You're going to have to win a hand to get that answer, aren't you?"

Loki was still until a broad smile broke over his face. "We play again?"

Tony smiled. His hand shot out a second later, but Loki was too quick. The god's hand slapped Tony's down onto the table with a painful smack. Tony winced, but kept his eyes locked on Loki. He could feel Loki's cards under his hand, but the god's reflexes had been too quick for him to grab them. The pressure Loki was exerting on Tony's hand felt like he had it in a vice.

"How am I supposed to deal if you won't give me your cards, sweetheart?" Tony purred.

"I shall deal."

"My cards."

"My boy."

"My tower!"

"My game," Loki drawled.

"I'm going to kick your ass at poker. And you're not going to let me win this time."

Loki chuckled approvingly and removed his hand. Tony picked up the cards and snorted. "Four of a kind. Four of a kind beats a Full House, you fucking prick."

"Really? I must have forgotten."

Tony dealt again. "Shut up and play."

Loki smiled indulgently. "I love you. I do. I do not believe in an instant love. I love you more today than I did yesterday. And I will love you more tomorrow than I do today."

"Let's just play poker," Tony said, throwing a chip onto the small heap and resolutely staring at his cards. _Forty years old and he still makes me blush like a school girl._

"Sir, Bruce is requesting access to the top floor."

_Ah._

Tony glanced at Loki, hoping for some guiding reaction to the news. But Loki just gazed back, seemingly more interested in what Tony decided rather than his own personal feelings on the matter.

_Damn. _

"Let him up," Tony said.

Loki threw a chip onto the pile. Tony waited for a sign of approval or disapproval of his decision and found nothing. "Can't leave him hanging around on the door mat," Tony said rebelliously.

"Of course not, love."

Bruce walked into the lab, almost hesitantly as he saw the two sitting together at the table. "Sorry." The poor guy is always sorry. "I didn't mean to..." he finished.

To go through your life apologetically wasn't a life worth living, Tony had always believed. Probably why he pitied Bruce so much. "Not a problem, Bruce. Come and join us."

"I shouldn't-"

Loki pushed out a chair with the toe of a boot. Bruce paused, dithering on the spot. "My poker's a little rusty."

Tony snorted his laughter and Loki rolled his eyes. "Love, do try to act a little more maturely."

"Er no. I don't think so," Tony said, pulling the cards back into a pile and shuffled dextrously.

Loki turned green eyes on Bruce whose eyes slid away consciously. Must be awkward to sit down at a table with the man you once used to tear up the flooring. "Are you joining us or not?"

"Are you gambling? I don't have any money to spare at the moment."

"We are gambling for truth."

Bruce caught Tony's eye and Tony shrugged. "Don't ask. It's like some warped game of truth or dare."

"Tell the truth or dare to lie," Loki mused. "I rather like the suggestion."

"That's not really how-"

Bruce sat down. He gave them both a half-hearted shrug. "Not that I believe anything he's say is the truth," he said. Then he caught Loki's eye. "No offence or anything."

Loki reached out, his fingers in no uncertain way stroking Tony's skin as they pulled the cards from his hands and dealt.

"You know how to play poker?" Bruce asked. "Seems like an odd thing for you just to suddenly know."

"I have been on Midgard for some time now and I learnt to play. The game pleases me. I am a trickster, Banner. It is one of the few things in the world I find diverting. I suppose even in the rubbish heap that is this realm, you can find the odd treasure," Loki said primly. His eyes flashed as they ran over Tony's face.

Sex had been pretty much off the agenda since Loki had teleported in last evening. Now suddenly Loki was getting grabby again. _Because Bruce is here._ Tony rolled his eyes. The god had a less than subtle way of marking his territory.

It was a strange game. Turns out, all three had some impressive talent at cards and it made it a real challenge. But _for fucks sake_, Loki won again. Tony was beginning to regret bringing out the cards in the first place.

"What now?" Bruce asked.

Loki turned to Bruce. "Do you want to sleep with Tony? And I dare you to lie to me."

Tony stared in fascinated horror. "What the fuck is that supposed to- I mean, seriously? What the fuck?"

"I'm not going to lie," Bruce said. "I'm just not going to answer you."

"That is not playing the game."

"I'm not playing games with you, Loki," Bruce said quietly. "I don't play games."

Loki turned to Tony. "Ah well. When a loser complains too loudly, he is rarely asked to play again. Now you, my love. When did you first realise that you loved me?"

Tony kept his eyes on Loki, but saw out the corner of his eye Bruce's eyebrows lift. The doctor kept his eyes resolutely on a point above Loki's left shoulder, but Tony knew he was most definitely listening. He felt the heat rise in his neck.

_But I, unlike Bruce, am playing the game. _

_And I don't whine when I lose._

Tony licked his lips. "Er… I think… when the portal took you to Thanos. I was kind of left with a Loki shaped hole in my chest. I think that's when."

Loki smiled and began dealing again.

The next winnings went to Tony. Though Tony made sure definitely this time by checking Loki's cards. At Bruce's questioning glance at this, Tony told him, "Loki cheats. He pretends he hasn't won."

Bruce turned curious eyes on Loki. "I'm not sure you get how cheating works," he told the god.

Loki just smiled.

Tony turned first to Bruce. _Why didn't you answer when Loki asked if you wanted to sleep with me?_ "You want a drink?"

"Is that your question?"

"The truth now," Tony said, warningly.

"Um… sure."

Tony stood and got Bruce a whiskey. He didn't bother for himself; he wanted to stay sharp right now. And he didn't bother with Loki. Tony didn't have enough alcohol in the tower to get the god drunk. "And I haven't forgotten you," he said to Loki. "But I want my truth as an IOU. I'll ask later."

"Fair enough, love."

The three had managed to stay civil almost throughout the entirety of the game, but it came to an abrupt end as Bruce won his hand. "Why does SHIELD have evidence you're still meeting with Doom?" Bruce asked Loki. His gaze was steady now, and hard.

Loki looked innocent. "Because I am still meeting with him."

"Why?" Tony and Bruce asked, almost in unison.

"He is going to die. I plan for it to be as painful as I can conceive and to do this, it will be easier if I have his trust."

"You're going to murder him?" Bruce asked.

"Yes."

Bruce turned to Tony. "Are you telling me you still can't see him for what he is? Tony, he's evil."

"Doom is evil," Tony pointed out. "And a really bad host. Didn't offer me refreshments or anything."

"Please take this seriously."

"I'm not going to sit here and say Loki can do no wrong, but you can't ask me to care if he kills Doom."

Bruce stood. "I should go."

"No, Bruce, come on. Play another hand with us."

"I should go."

Tony watched sadly as Bruce walked to the elevator and disappeared. Tony glared at Loki. "You could have-"

"Lied? But darling, that would have been against the rules."

The look Loki gave him drove the anger from his mind until his thoughts were all pleasant mush again. Tony smiled gently at his troublesome god and started dealing out the cards again. In retrospect, he should have gone and talked Bruce down. In retrospect, Tony really, really wished he had enough sense to know when things were going to turn round and bite him in the ass.

"Why do we not try playing chess?"

"No," Tony said quickly.


	51. Chapter 51: On the record

**A/N: I couldn't decide if this chapter should be called 'On the record' or 'King of the Passive Aggressive'. I've left it as On the record, but don't be surprised if you see it change! **

Tony walked into the regular Avengers training room. It was empty. He frowned and turned at a sound behind him. Fury was standing, looking at him with his usual hard, appraising glare. Tony gestured around, "Am I actually early? There's a first time for everything I suppose."

"We need to talk."

"Are you breaking up with me?"

"Come with me, Stark."

Tony followed, grumbling a few choice words. They moved through the corridors of the Helicarrier, Tony babbling inanely about everything and nothing while Fury listened in silence.

Walking into a smaller meeting room, Tony saw Thor and Bruce were already there. He felt his spirits sinking but kept up the mask. "Don't tell me; we forming a super-awesome boy band?"

"I'm sorry, Tony. But this really is the best way." Bruce said quietly, talking to a spot just to the side of Tony's head.

Tony fought back an urge to make a snide comment. To wound with words like Tony did so well. But it was on the tip of his tongue. Instead he said, "This is sounding like an _intervention_. And I've had a few of those so I'm pretty much an expert at being _intervened_ with."

"Thor and Bruce told me everything. But I thought you deserved the opportunity to tell your side of the story. Fill in some blanks."

"About what?" Tony asked in a hollow voice.

"You and Loki."

Tony sat in a chair heavily, dumping his bag on the floor and opening his shirt slightly. "Alright," he said with a narrow eyed smile. "What do you want to know?"

"Let's start with the obvious, shall we? Are you in a romantic relationship with Loki, the god of mischief and the guy who tried to burn down New York?"

"Yes."

Fury rubbed his brow, clearly trying to keep calm. "Go on then. Let's hear the rest of it."

He told them everything. Practically everything. He didn't tell them he was _boy_. He didn't elaborate on the nature of their games, not for Fury. Not for Fury or fucking SHIELD, they didn't get to know that.

_Natasha will fill them in at any fucking rate._

He didn't tell them that Loki had found out about the Bifrost through him. But otherwise, he tried to be as truthful as he could.

Fury listened in silence and stayed noiseless for a while longer after that. The silence finally got to Tony. He leaned over to Bruce, "I think I broke him."

Fury pulled a chair out and sat down. "We're going to talk about how we manage this."

Tony raised an eyebrow with slightly incredulous air. "You're not going to tell me I'm a moron?"

"I am and you are. What the hell were you thinking? I don't care. And if Thor's right and there's nothing that can be done at this stage, and there's no way we could convince you to see how fucking-ass stupid you've been then let's talk rules. First, he's not allowed near the Helicarrier or any SHIELD facility. We see him, we shoot. You die from it, that's just tough shit."

"Fair enough."

"You're going to have to earn back some credibility here, Tony. I don't know if anything I tell you will go back to him."

"You think I'd sell out the Avengers?"

"The fact you're sitting here and not in a cell? Take that as a small sign I don't consider you an enemy."

Tony leaned forward, his arms on his knees, matching Fury's posture. "No, I'll take it as a sign that you realize I'm too valuable an asset to lose. Not to mention the fact that people may wonder _what happened to Tony Stark_ if I go missing," Tony sneered.

"Tony," Bruce said reprovingly.

"I'm not your friend, Stark. And I'm not your mother. You want to do this, fine. But there are repercussions."

"Wait - you're _not_ my mother? Well I'll be damned, Fury, because that exactly who I thought you were."

"The only reason I'm even vaguely considering this is because, since his pardon, he is an Asgardian Prince once again and I don't dare put this world at risk by threatening _them_. Loki has, if you'll excuse the expression, a certain amount of 'diplomatic immunity'. Thor and the All Father have guaranteed his good behaviour and he'll be brought back to Asgard if he steps out of line. Thor even checks in on him every week to-"

"Really?" Tony asked in surprise, turning in his seat to stare at the god.

"I am attempting to rebuild my relationship with my brother. We talk."

"About what?"

Thor shrugged.

"Never the less, Loki is still not to be trusted. The lines between you and he and us are going to get blurred. But step over those lines and you're finished. Understood?"

"Fine."

Fury looked over at Thor and they exchanged a look. The one-eyed guy sighed. "I don't like it, but I don't give a fuck what you do so long as it doesn't affect the Avengers. If it does, you're through." Fury leaned back, a new gleam in his eye. "And to prove it won't, I want you get him to come in."

"Forget it."

"Why not?" Fury asked blandly.

Thor, other than the brief glances as Fury and Tony, had been standing like a statute. Now he rumbled to life. "Loki was pardoned by the All Father, but his crimes against Midgard are not easily forgotten. The least he could do is answer a few questions."

"You want him in for an interview?" Tony asked disbelievingly.

Fury looked at him with a piercing glare. "I think it would help us fill in the blanks, yes."

"Fuck off."

"Tony," Bruce said again.

Fury seemed to lose his patience. "Okay, you want to know why you're not in a cell? You want to know why we're going to make this work? Because _the god_ and _the Hulk_ have made it clear where their allegiances lie and they're the two people in the Avengers even I don't dare to piss off." Fury glared at Tony who all of a sudden was feeling very small. "You're a selfish shit and if you won't do the right thing because it is the right thing, then do it because two people have put their fucking necks on the line for you and the cheap little stunt you've managed to pull this time. You stupid, immature, irresponsible little shit."

Fury turned on his heel and stormed from the room, his leather coat flapping around him.

Tony sat back, not looking at the other two.

Bruce cleared his throat, "Look-"

"I'm going," Tony said, walking away quickly.

To his frustration, Thor followed. "I will accompany you back to the tower."

Tony swung a fist, catching the god on the jaw.

Thor blinked in surprise, but would have barely felt it. Tony on the other hand swore with renewed anger as he shook his hand, trying to relieve the stinging. "Follow me back like fucking hell you will! Do I look like a fucking woman to you?"

"You are my brother's thrall and I have an obligation-"

"You -"

"You do not understand what you have done!" Thor bellowed at him. The sound was enough to make glass in rattle. Thor's voice dropped slightly, but he was still angry, still shouting. "You chose this life, knowingly or unknowing but this is how it must be!"

Tony, out of his suit, was just so breakable.

And Thor was a god.

Tony shut his eyes, hissing away his urge to explode, to yell the fucker down. "This is fucking ridiculous," he spat. "Fine. You can follow me to my jet. The more the fucking merrier!"

Tony glared at his cocktail as the jet lifted off the platform and made its way back to New York. He forced the black bitterness away. This isn't Tony Stark. This isn't even boy. He didn't get angry because angry people made mistakes.

Tony Stark was King of the Passive Aggressive. "I never asked; did you have to pay a fine for me getting skewered?"

"No."

"So Loki didn't go through with it then?"

"No. He did. King Odin ruled that as I hadn't known you were a thrall, I was not at fault."

"But you are now?"

"Obviously."

"So if I jumped from the plane now, you'd have to save me?"

Thor gave him a cold look. "I would save you, thrall or not," he said.

Tony looked away. "I'm not apologising to you."

"I gather."

"I did what I wanted to do. That's what I do."

Thor sighed, running his fingers across his face and threw this hair. "I apologise. I do not know why I am so angry. Perhaps it is merely the thought that you belong to-"

"I am still Tony Stark," Tony demanded. "I'm the fucking Iron Man. Thrall is just a side note and one I don't give a fuck about anyway."

"But you are. You still don't understand the reality of the harness you accepted."

"Fine," Tony spat. "Whatever."

"It is merely the loss of our friendship I mourn," Thor said.

Tony looked up. "And that's at an end, is it?"

"Is it?"

"We can still hang out for fuck's sake."

Thor smiled.

Tony groaned. "Would you stop being such a _good guy_? You're making me feel like shit."

"I would not always describe myself as a good man."

"Well you are."

"I can be bad, sometimes."

Tony's eyes snapped up, resting on Thor. He swallowed, not entirely sure which way the world had slipped. _Um… awkward_. _Subject change in three, two -_ "Do you think Loki going in for an interview is a good idea?"

"Yes."

"What if they don't let him go?"

"I would not allow it."

"And you have Loki's best interests at heart?"

"Tony, you have cared for Loki for less than a year. I have cared for him for a little over a thousand. Do not pretend that you alone have his best interests at heart."

There was a long silence.

"Can I ask you something Asgardian?"

"Of course, my friend."

"What does gór mik eigi mean?"

"Do not disrespect me."

Tony raised an eyebrow. "Why, what did I say?"

Thor laughed, "No, Tony. The words you spoke mean 'do not disrespect me'." Thor looked at Tony searchingly. "Has he been much vexed?"

"He wasn't exactly giddy as a school girl that I got captured, let's leave it at that."

xxx

Tony held Loki tight against his chest as the god moved smoothly in and out, his legs crossed over the god's hips. Loki's face was buried in his neck so Tony stared at the top of Loki's black head as the god gasped. Muscles on Loki's back were glistening slightly with sweat. His chest expanding and contracting as he panted for breath. His thrusting was paced but strong and Tony found himself shuddering.

He shuddered again. He pressed his face into the black hair. "Loki."

"Yes." Loki gasped.

Tony's hand flew down to his erection and with very little preamble, he was so close, stroking in time to the thrusts. Loki came first, hammering harder until he finally choked and, with a last few harsh thrusts, collapsed down on top of his mortal.

Tony came into his hand with a small cry, gasping and shivering.

Then they just lay still, both recovering, both clearing the cobwebs from their minds. Loki was kissing Tony's neck almost unconsciously. Tony tried to slide away, but Loki grip became tight. "No," he said, warningly.

Tony sighed and stayed put. Loki leaned up and gazed at Tony intensely. The question hung in the air, Loki didn't have to ask it. It wasn't often Tony wasn't as there in the moment as Loki was. But he had too much on his mind.

Tony sighed. "Thor and Bruce went to-"

"I know."

"They want you to-"

"I know. My _brother_," Loki said the word with great disdain, "has already informed me of the facts."

"When were you going to tell me you and Thor were going out for ice cream every week?"

"It does not concern you."

Tony bit his tongue against a snap back. Instead he said, "I don't like it. I think it's a trap."

Loki didn't reply. Tony leaned in and kissed the skin on Loki's neck and shoulders as the god thought intensely. "Perhaps... But I am no longer a fugitive from Asgard and they would look unkindly upon my imprisonment in a Midgardian cell."

"I'll never understand how you managed to swing that," Tony muttered. "Especially with Thor."

Loki smiled. "Silver tongue," he said. "I've always rather liked the description. And it was not hard to convince an Asgardian Court of Asgardian supremacy. Would it be befitting of a _lesser race_ to sentence a god? Who knows where that might lead..."

"But after you brought the Ice Giants into Asgard-"

"Very few believe it to be true. Oh, the King and mother, Thor, Sif and the Warriors Three, of course. But public opinion has always been... divided. The Odin line is not as popular as you might expect. There have always been whisperings of change. Not necessarily that I should obtain the Throne, especially not now my heritage is known. But they do see me as the voice of reason among the royal family. I simply play into that."

Tony ran his hands up Loki's back. This was making for interesting pillow talk. "Arrogant assholes, all of you."

"And you, a paragon of humbleness?"

"Hey, I can be humble! I'm the humblest guy in the world."

"Of course you are, Tony," Loki said in a completely patronizing manner which pissed Tony off no end.

Tony sighed angrily with himself. The angrier he got with Loki, the more he felt overwhelmed by him. And the more overwhelmed by the god he felt, the more he wanted to fight.

Fighting meant excitement and pain and that all meant...

"I will go to SHIELD."

"I don't want you to."

"I care little for what you want or do not want, boy."

Tony glowered and went silent and sulky. Loki bent down and began sucking and licking the lobe of his ear. It made Tony squirm slightly. "You haven't... punished me lately."

"You have been good of late."

"Does that matter, really? To you?"

"No. But I wanted to see how long I could be nice before you began begging for abuse."

"Did Thor say when you should go in?"

"Tomorrow. I'd rather the facade was ended sooner than later."

"What do you and Thor talk about?"

Loki gave him a stern look. "Leave it be, Tony."

Tony stared into those green eyes. Always a mistake. Even now, looking into those deep pools caused the world to shift underneath him. "I have an IOU, you know. You owe me a truth."

"As do I. You owe me Obedience."

Tony frowned, not sure what Loki was talking about. Loki raised an eyebrow, apparently annoyed that Tony had forgotten this pressing fact. "The Promise of Obedience you made to me."

Tony suddenly remembered. "Oh yeah. I forgot."

"It's not something to forget, Tony. The Promises should not be-"

"Taken lightly?" Tony finished win with a superstitious smile.

Loki glared, but Tony was fairly certain it was play acting. "Do you really wish to be bent over my knee and punished?"

"Maybe."

Loki grinned toothily. Then pushed up and off of Tony. He sat up and moved to get off the bed.

Tony's arms wrapped around his shoulders. "Where d'ya think you're going?" he breathed in the tricksters ear. "Not done with you yet."

"My insatiable little pet."

Tony's teeth chewed on Loki's ear for a bit, until he felt Loki relax again. "There we go," Tony crooned.

Loki hummed slightly as he relaxed. He let Tony drag him back to the middle of the bed.

"Distracting influence," Loki scolded half heartedly.

"That's right," Tony agreed, with no small amount of pleasure. "What's that quote I'm thinking of? 'Men have the strength to be tyrants and women have love to wreak their revenge. Well, you're a god. And I like to think I'm here to be the constant thorn in your side."

"Thorn," Loki mused. He didn't say anything else but his expression took on a thoughtful air.

Tony watched Loki think. When he wasn't in crazy psycho mode, or dark, emotionally fragile mode, his expression when he thought was intensely serene. And beautiful.

Loki's hand crept up Tony's back and slowly caressed the scarred 'My Boy'. It made all parts of Tony shiver in delight. Loki turned slightly and ran the fingertips of his other hand over the 'Mine' engraved in Tony's thigh.

Tony realized his mouth was hanging open slightly.

"Why put up with such a monster? A creature who treats you so ill?" Loki asked quietly.

"Love you. So much." Tony realized he was panting slightly. It's not possible to get so aroused just but this gentle petting of his scars.

"But why?"

Tony's eyes opened. Loki's brow was furrowed slightly. Tony stroked his fingers through Loki's hair again. "Stop... thinking so much. I know what you're doing. I'm yours and you're mine and I'm not going to sit here and list all the reasons why. Don't worry, I won't forget them the minute you turn up at SHIELD."

Hit the nail on the head. Loki's eyes flicked up to Tony's face. "I do not care if tomorrow, some bolt of clarity hits you and you suddenly realize you're worth more than what I give you. I do not care if you have a revelation that I am everything your friends say I am. I do not care."

"Aw. I-th the w-ittle god insecure?" Tony mocked.

Loki lent forward and bit the scar of 'Mine'.

Tony's cock jumped to attention as a little gasping groan left his mouth.

"Watch your tone with me, boy. I remember now why it is preferable to keep you in an orgasmic state. Lie back, and hold your legs up."

xxx

There had been a lot of commotion when Loki and Thor had appeared on the Helicarrier. Many of the people here remembered the last time, after all. Thor had come with hammer in hand. _Man that still sounds too much like a euphemism_. Loki was bereft of his staff _ha ha, another euphemism_ but all knew that was no guarantee of anything.

Barton, Bruce, Tony and Steve watched on the monitors as Loki was received by Fury and Natasha and led to an interview room. Steve sighed and walked out. Barton turned cold eyes on Tony. "Do I have to stand here and tell you how many people he's killed?"

"How many have you? How many has Thor? How many," Tony smiled viciously, "has Natasha? We all get a second chance."

"People like him don't deserve it."

"None of us do."

Barton glared for a little longer, then walked out in disgust. Bruce looked at the floor and muttered, "He's just a little thrown by all this. He'll come round."

Tony didn't respond, walking out and leaving the doctor alone in the room. He made his way quickly to the Helicarrier lab which he had been preparing for this the whole morning. He shut the door and asked the room, "Jarvis, you linked in?"

"Yes sir."

He stripped off his jacket, waking over to the screens. "How far are we?"

"Our way is clear to begin the program, Sir."

Tony glanced up as Bruce walked in. "There are blinds up over the windows," Bruce said, curiously.

"Yeah. Doesn't this place remind you of a fish bowl sometimes?"

"What are you doing?"

Tony didn't answer, finishing the wiring and starting the program. It began scanning code and breaking through firewalls.

Bruce swayed slightly on his feet. "We... haven't talked. Really. Since yesterday. I-"

"Pass me that light pad."

Bruce handed it over. His eyes looked sadly at Tony who avoided them. "It was my idea to tell Fury. I persuaded Thor. He didn't want to; he said it was none of our business."

_Too fucking right._

Tony didn't answer.

"I'm... always here for you, Tony. But something's just... People needed to-"

"No one needed to know, Bruce," Tony said quietly but with a hard certainty. "I didn't tell you in the first place because of this. Because I can't trust you _not _to do the right thing."

"But you admit then that this is the right thing-"

"Yeah, whatever, listen - I'm going to be doing something highly illegal and very naughty in here. You want to go get a coffee? Get out, or lock the door, your choice." Tony turned back to the screen and very silently breathed out in relief as he heard the door lock.

"I've been working on this so I could eavesdrop on Fury's meetings with the directors." Tony expounded to Bruce, finishing the last of the corrections and starting the program.

"Tony, I really am sor-"

"Drop it."

"But you don't know why I did it."

"I know why you did it," Tony said in a harsh voice.

He found himself being pulled around forcefully to look into Bruce's eyes. Through the glasses, his gaze was unusually still. "No, you don't. You told me. You told Thor. You told the two worst people you could possibly tell. Because if Loki hurt you, who knows how Thor would react? He'd kill him or forgive him. I might have been more confident he of all people would protect you, but with this crazy bonding thing I just don't know. The only other person who knew was me and I'd…" Bruce laughed miserably. "He hurts you? I kill him. I wouldn't be able to stop myself, even knowing you'd die. I'd kill him. I'd pull him apart. You want that?"

Tony shook his head.

"You told the two worst people. You should have told Natasha. She'd be able to think rationally; to help you both but you just didn't think it through."

"Actually," Tony said. "I want it on record; I didn't, in fact, _tell_ either of you."

"Don't you get it? This is how it has to be if you want to stay with Loki. I'm not hurting you, I'm helping you."

Tony pulled away and turned the programme on. Loki appeared on the screen, leaning back regally in his chair in full smug bastard mode. Tony's heart leapt into his mouth at the sight. _Fuck he's gorgeous._

Tony's eyebrows raised in surprise as he realized, off camera, it was Steve doing the interview. Presumably, Loki and Fury had too much animosity and Loki would be wise to Natasha's tricks. Though Tony had little doubt they were both talking to Steve through an earpiece.

"Thor says the trial went strongly in your favour. You can understand why we don't feel as though we've been well served. You killed dozens of people, attempted to destroy New York, spent three months in a cell and now are free to resume your life? How is that fair?"

"What is your question? Why the trial went in my favour? Or perhaps you wanted me to expound on the realities on an unjust world?"

Steve made a noise of exasperation. "This is going to be a long day, isn't it?"

"As long as you'd like it to be, Captain."

Both men jumped slightly as there was a bang on the door. Tony shut down the screen as Bruce opened the door. "Oh," he said and stepped aside.

Thor walked in, looking around sceptically. "I heard my brother's voice." He looked Tony squarely in the face. "They wouldn't let me attend the interview."

Tony glanced at Bruce who shrugged. "Okay, but lock the door."

He turned the screens back on. Bruce moved back to lean against the table next to Tony. Thor leant against a wall and watched the screen intently.

Steve, bless him, still seemed to be trying his best. "Do you have any intentions to resume your campaign against Earth?"

"Your belief being that, if I did, would I admit to the fact?"

"Do you?"

"No. Not currently. I find my attention has been preoccupied of late. And my duties in the Asgardian Court keep me very busy. Your pathetic little world is safe from me at least."

"Which brings us on to Von Doom. Are you in league with him?"

"No."

"But you were able to get Tony back from him."

"Yes."

"How?"

"I offered an alliance, as a way to gain entry to his lair, Captain. Do not pull that expression and spoil such a pretty face. I offered my magic, he accepted and I was able to rescue Tony. No more, no less."

_Pretty?_

"Where's his headquarters?"

Loki stared, his head tilted, and hummed thoughtfully. "My dear, I have absolutely no reason to tell you."

Tony rolled his eyes. Of course Loki would dig his heels on and be an ass when there was a perfect opportunity to gain some merit with SHIELD. He wasn't making things any easier for them.

That was Tony's rational thought. Another more pressing point was _Dear?! I'm dear, don't you dare even think-_

"How did you find his lair?"

"He had Tony."

"And?"

"And I'm always very careful to keep an eye on where my things are." Loki said with a smirk.

"I'm assuming we're talking about magic here. Some sort of magic which allows you to identify where Tony is?"

Loki stayed still. Let them create the lie themselves. You give them the edges of the truth and they create their own reality.

Tony was fairly certain that wasn't true, though he had no way of being sure. It still presented the problem of how Loki had found him. Tony had found, in the weeks following his capture, the safest thing had been not to mention it around Loki. He had tended to get… well. You know. Loki-ish about it.

"You should tell us where Von Doom is hiding."

"Should I?"

"It would go some way as to proving your sincerity."

"I care little for you opinion, Captain."

"Do you care about Tony's?"

Loki seemed to mull the question, but didn't answer.

"Has Tony asked about the location of Victor Von Doom?"

"Yes."

"Did you tell him?"

"No."

"And he accepted that?"

Loki smirked. "I have ways of distracting him."

_Mental note. Ask Loki where Von Doom is hiding again._

"We have reports that you are still in contact with Doom."

_Prove it._

"Really?" Loki asked blandly.

"Only now, the agent that witnessed the meeting has gone missing."

"Oh dear."

Steve sounded close to losing his patience. "I wonder how would Tony react to that?"

Loki smirked nastily. "Well I imagine, Captain, the first thing he'd do is demand proof."

_He knows me so well._

"Of which we have none now the agent's gone MIA."

"Shame," Loki said.

There was a pause were Steve seeming tried to rally his thoughts. And probably take instructions from his earpiece. "Where are you and your mercenaries based?"

Loki cocked his head and smirked again.

"The attack from the armies of Niflhel. Did you organise that?"

Silence.

"Tony, apparently, was injured in that attack. Now I'm beginning to wonder if any of that was true. I'm beginning to think that it was all set up for our benefit." Steve waited, then demanded, "Well, was it?"

"You ask me questions you know I will not answer and waste both our time. Really, Captain. Just ask what it is you want to ask."

There was a pause. "Why Tony?"

"Jealous?" Loki shot him a suggestive glance. "I'll admit, I considered you. There's something so intriguing about an innocent boy with blonde hair and pretty blue eyes. Tempting."

Tony felt a cut inside, but ignored it. "Pity we don't have any popcorn."

"If your intention was to hurt Thor, you could have chosen any one of us. Natasha, Barton, myself. You chose the one person who, out of battle, can't defend themselves."

_Fuck off.  
_  
"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because he is the one person who, out of battle, cannot defend themselves," Loki said slowly as though talking to the hard of thinking.

_You can fuck off too.  
_  
"Was that the only reason?"

Loki rolled his eyes with a tired air. "I considered Agent Barton and Agent Romanoff in all seriousness. But neither struck me as Thor's intimates and therefore their destruction would not be as... impactful," Loki finished with a flash of green eyes.

"That is not the Tony Stark I know in there. What have you done to him?"

"Oh what haven't I done to him?" Loki purred. He licked his lips vaguely, tilting his head. "Would you like the list? A moment by moment description of everything I have made that beautiful-"

"Tony, turn it off, you don't want to listen-" Bruce started, but Tony waved him away.

"-whether he wanted to or not. In lurid detail? Why, my dear. You surprise me. Are your nights so dull you need such images to warm you?"

"I'm not playing this game, Loki."

"I hardly invited myself here. What were you expecting?"

"This," sighed the voice off camera. "I was expecting this. The chance of getting a straight answer from you is remote."

"Well then. Shall I tell you something about your Tony Stark? I know you're curious. You struck me from the first as a man of unflinching mortality and thoughts of such depravity must blow your little mind."

"I'm not deviant, it's true."

Tony's eyes narrowed as Bruce muttered desperately, "You know he doesn't mean it like that."

"Yes he does," Tony replied shortly, his attention on the screen.

"I do not know what _Tony Stark_ you know, Captain. But it is as much a mask as the one of iron. I, however, have seen him _stripped_." Loki's purr lingered on the word. "Of everything and I know his true nature. Tony Stark is a far greater creature than I had previously come across in this thoroughly worthless race of imprudent children. What he lacks is discipline. And training. You of all people, solider, should understand-"

"Steve's from the 1940s," Bruce said, almost pleadingly. "You know he doesn't-"

"Shut up," Tony hissed.

"And he's a faithful Christian. It's not that he's phobic, it's just, for the time he was raised in this, that attitude was-"

"Would you ever give it a rest?" Tony snapped.

"Both of you; silence," came the deep rumble behind them.

"See? Now we're in trouble with the other one," Tony said. "Quiet."

"You still haven't explained, why Tony?" Steve asked.

Loki rolled his eyes wearily. "We have most certainly addressed that."

"No we didn't. You said you chose Tony because he was easy to kill and his death would hurt Thor. But Tony's still alive."

"For now. And I did not say kill. I said destroy."

"What's the difference?"

"Ask Thor," Loki said with a nasty smile. "A warrior's honour. Killing Tony is just too... merciful."

Bruce and Tony glanced at Thor. Thor seemed poker faced, watching the screen blankly. But there was a slight stiffing in his shoulders which betrayed a lot of what was going on beneath the surface.

Loki shrugged on screen. "And well, would you believe the truth?"

"Only one way to find out."

"I wanted him."

Tony felt the smile despite himself.

"And even I shudder at the idea of destroying great art," Loki continued. "I saw the advantages in keeping him alive."

"Obviously. What has he told you about SHIELD?"

"Nothing."

"You don't expect me to believe that?"

"I do not expect you to believe a word I say, which is why I am curious as to why I am here."

"Did Tony tell you where the Bifröst was?"

Tony's stomach lurched violently but Loki was already saying, "I do not need the _great Tony Stark_ to reveal to me the whereabouts of Asgardian magic."

That sounded reasonable. Tony couldn't meet Bruce's glance.

"Did he mention the Bifröst?"

"No." The lie came so naturally, Loki's gaze honest and steady gaze focused. To see something pass from Loki's lips, which he knew most definitely to be a lie but equally knew that had he not already known, he would have believed Loki… the guy was just too good a liar.

It worried Tony.

"You didn't press him for information?"

"No."

"I don't believe you. What exactly do you gain from all this?"

"Sex."

"And this is the only way you can get it. Doesn't surprise me." Steve was trying to wind up Loki, get him to slip. But Tony knew he was going after the wrong things if he wanted to do that.

"Sex is not difficult to obtain but at no point in my thousand years do I really remember having this much fun. It's so much better when they beg you to stop in the same breath they beg you to never let it end."

"Tony doesn't give you any information?"

"No."

"Do you ask for information?"

"No."

"So if I told you that Tony was getting discharged from the Avengers?"

Tony flinched. Bruce grabbed his shoulder and said, "He doesn't mean it, Tony. Thor and I won't let that happen."

But Loki was smiling delightedly. "I would be eternally grateful to you and your Director Fury. I have never been fond of... Sharing."

"What if I told you that he will be charged as a traitor? Sent to a jail cell for the rest of his life?"

"I would tell you he would not spend more than an hour in detention before I took him away."

"To?"

"Asgard."

"And then what? At that point, he's useless to you."

"No, it is possible to have sex in Asgard."

A fist thumped the table. "This is not about… that," Steve demanded. "This is about a dangerous war criminal having access to SHIELD. This is about the great manipulator turning an ally into a spy. This is about counter intelligence. This has nothing to do with personal motives."

Loki grinned toothily, but didn't reply.

"What information has Tony given you about SHIELD?"

"Nothing."

"If you care about Tony, as you claim, we're going to need some way of proving his innocence, so you're better off telling me the truth."

Loki cocked his head to the side, frowning slightly. "Forgive me, Captain. I believe we have been at cross purposes. I believe at no point did I profess to _care_ for Tony."

Tony sighed. _Fuck him and fuck his liar mode. He just can't help himself._

There was a chuckle off camera. "Well. That's the first thing you've said that I believe," Steve said.

The interview after that did not go any better. From Tony's reckoning, Steve hadn't gained anything useful from Loki at all. Bruce turned back silently to his own computer. Tony turned and looked at Thor.

Thor stood staring at nothing, one elbow cupped in his hand, the thumb of his free hand vaguely stroking his lip as he was clearly in intense thought.

Tony watched him until the thunder god finally looked up and caught his eye. He gave a curt nod. "I believe he loves you. I had not believed it before, but I do now." The god turned and walked out the door.

"Whoa, hang on there!" Tony said, chasing after him. He caught up with the striding figure. "Now come on. You can't say something like that and walk off."

Thor stopped, sighed and turned. "Never let it be said that I am too proud a man. Yes, Tony. I admit that I was wrong."

Tony waved a hand dismissively. "I don't care about that. Obviously you were wrong when you disagreed with me; I'm always right. I want to know what changed your mind."

Thor looked thoughtful. "Something he said."

"What?"

"I do not intend on telling you" Thor said. He squared his shoulders and turned sharp blue eyes on the interview room door. "At least, not until I have spoken to my brother."

At that moment, the door opened and a guard escorted Loki out. Thor joined the group and he and Loki began a drawn out, whispered conversation in Asgardian. Tony watched them leave and cursed bitterly.

**A/N: First up, a bit of shameless plug - Callistontheweb approached me a while ago about translating this fic into French. Why, I have absolutely no idea but I was flattered none the less! :) So for any French readers, pop along to Callistontheweb page for translation! Thanks Callistontheweb x**

**I also just had to share this - if you haven't heard "Flawed Design" by Stabilo, you absolutely must. It was virtually written for Loki. Thanks to Calmena to introducing it to me.**


	52. Chapter 52: Haskell's Notes

Better to get it over with sooner rather than later.

Tony walked slowly over to where Barton was perched, watching the comings and goings in the main hanger. He leaned over the railings, Barton sitting on the gangway next to him. They were in silence for a long time before Barton said, "Don't bother."

"Wasn't going to."

"Good."

Tony let the silence go on for a little longer. "But, you know, while I'm here. I might as well point out that while he is everything you think he is, he's also more than that."

Barton stood and started walking away. "I know what he is."

"I suppose, if I were a solider like you, I'd learn how to dehumanize. But me, I believe that just because you're bad and do bad things, doesn't make you evil. I have to believe it."

The archer turned sharply. "Why? Because if you don't, you'll realize you're sleeping with a monster?"

"No. Because I might realize what I am."

"Tony-" Barton paused. He seemed to glance around. "You don't..." he laughed miserably. "I've seen what he's showing you, Tony. He's all charming and gentle once he knows you can't run. The minute he indoctrinated someone, he became all gentlemen-like and charm and just a nice guy to be around. But it's all lies, Tony. You can't forget that. He only likes you when you worship him."

Tony threw a worried look at the man, suddenly a little alarmed. "You and Loki didn't-"

"Jeez man, do I look gay to you?"

"Do I?" Tony asked, actually curious.

Barton shook his head and rubbed his face distractedly. "Natasha calls it 'residual indoctrination' or some sort of bull crap. All I know is, I want to see him as much as I want to kill him."

_Welcome to my world._

"The fucking asshole is going to pay for everything he's done one day, Tony. And when that day comes, take my advice and don't be standing next to him when the fucking axe falls. Until then, just watch my back when we're fighting, that's all I ask."

"You know-" Tony started. Half way down the steps, Barton turned and looked back through blank eyes. "This hasn't changed me as an Avenger, just… maybe as a person. I won't ever let you down in a fight, Hawk. That's important to say," Tony finished weakly.

"Fine. We keep it on the level. No talking about personal lives. We just fight together."

"Sure."

"Fine," Barton repeated. He started to walk away. "And don't call me Legolas."

"No deal."

So, that was Barton dealt with. For now at least; Barton didn't sound like he had come to terms, or accepted in any way. At best, they had just put a pin in it for now. In any case, that meant Barton, Bruce, Thor and Fury had all on some level come to terms with the fact that Tony could be both Iron Man and Loki's plaything. Or, even if they hadn't, they at least looked as though they were going to avoid talking about it.

Under the circumstances, it was better than Tony could have hoped for. That left Natasha and Steve. Tony didn't know who was going to be harder to convince. Probably Steve, on consideration.

Natasha he found in the training room, throwing soldiers over her shoulder. Tony watched for a while. "You know, you need to ease up a bit. They charge us for every solider you break."

She turned, flexing her shoulder back. She gestured. "Come on then."

Tony raised his hands. "Er, no. No, I need my limbs."

She raised an eyebrow. "You'll do an Asgardian Ice Giant but you won't fight a girl?"

"That's right. And I'm proud of it. It's a perfectly healthy reaction to be terrified of you."

Natasha looked at him harshly Tony sighed and stepped into the ring. Well, he knew he was going to end up getting a kicking at some point.

He took a moment to regret as he realised he was wearing his favourite Black Sabbath t-shirt. He just hoped Natasha wouldn't tear it.

Tony raised his fists and waited. It was important not to be the one to make the first move with her. Natasha, as clichéd as the phrased was, used her opponents strength against them and would generally have them on their back at the first punch.

Natasha made a strike, which turned out to be a feint. As Tony fell for it, moving into the swing, the Black Widow moved faster, ducking under Tony's arm, coming up behind him and knocking him to the ground.

He landed heavily on his knees and scrambled back up. "Okay. We'll call that the warm up."

"Call it what you like, Tony. It amounts to the same thing. In the end, you're just fooling yourself."

Tony raised his arms again, defensively. "Why do I think you're not talking about fighting?"

His head swung back painfully as her fist connected with his jaw. He managed to parry the next swing, grabbing her arm and twisting it back. But, with the litheness of a cat, she flipped in the air and her arm was no longer twisted behind her back but wrapping around Tony's neck.

Tony staggered back. She kicked him hard in the back of the knee and he dropped to the floor.

It annoyed Tony that he was faintly gasping for breath while she remained so composed. The power of this woman was unnatural and unlike Doom or the Hulk, she used that power quietly. Dangerously. Just like Loki.

Fuck. Why did he wait until his forties to become strangely attracted to powerful people? Why couldn't he have felt like this when he was a teen? He could have done with it back then.

"I'm surprised you managed to keep it a secret for so long. You're not exactly-"

"A spy?" Tony asked blandly.

"You go for a walk and the tabloids follow you."

"I'm going to lie here for a minute."

"Get up."

Tony grumbled, but took his kicking like he knew on some level he deserved. He got up wobbly, slightly exaggerating it, gathered himself, and threw a kick. Which Natasha caught and used the momentum to throw him back.

The playboy landed hard, but got to his feet again quickly as Natasha moved in for a wrestling move. The idea of having his arm torn off by this woman did not appeal.

He back pedalled with stumbling feet which drew a laugh from the watching soldiers. He turned an incredulous look on them. "Oh, funny? You want to be in here with her?"

That shut them up.

Tony turned back to the deceptively calm woman. "Look, Loki and I... it's more than just... that."

"I don't care," Natasha said. Tony ducked a fist. "I don't care what you do." Tony managed to jump back from a kick aim at a place no man should be kicked, "And I don't care _who _you do."

Tony didn't escape a blow to his chest, in the sternum below the reactor, but it only winded him. He knocked a second blow away with his forearm and finally managed to catch her in the jaw.

She grabbed his arm, bending it, forcing it against the joint. "Ah, ah, ah!" he said, grabbing her shoulder as she pushed. He gritted his teeth. "You know, even the Hulk wasn't this violent when he found out!"

His legs were scythed out from under him and he landed heavily, this time for good. As his head hit the floor he let out a loud vent of surprise and pain. His head was spinning, his body was aching and his vision was blurred.

_Well, you're alive. It could have been worse._

Tony lay flat on his back for a while until the red-headed, crossed-armed ninja appeared above him. "You never thought about how this would affect the people around you. You never do. They're blaming me. They expect me to foresee and forestall this sort of thing and I didn't."

"You tried," Tony said, almost reassuringly, pushing himself onto his side with a groan. "You did. You got so close, I can't tell you how much you scared me when you realised I was actually dating a guy. But, and with the respect owing to someone who's just kicked your ass, you never had a cat's change in hell of changing my mind."

Natasha wasn't happy.

Tony pulled himself up with a stagger. "Who's been saying what?"

She shook her head. "It doesn't matter."

"Send them to me. Send them to me and I'll tell them where they can stick their comments. Who-"

"God, Tony, who do you think? The Directors, Fury, _the people who run things_."

"Fuck 'em."

"Don't be such a child. It doesn't work like that and you know it." Natasha looked over his shoulder and nodded at someone.

Tony turned to see a suited figure walking away.

Natasha turned back to Tony and lowered her voice slightly. "Look, I wish I had known. I wish I could have helped you. I don't like this, Tony. But you're right. Once you get an idea in your head, we mere lowly humans can't hope to shift it. So if this is what you want, then listen to me now; don't let yourself get wound up in there, tell the truth and for god's sake Tony, don't act guilty."

"I don't trust you," Tony said. "And I don't like you that much either. But… I didn't mean for this to damage your reputation."

Natasha sighed. "I believe you. And I don't trust you or like you either. But I'm here for you. I just wish you had realised that earlier."

Tony walked into the interview room, the same as Loki's. The camera was standing on a tripod next to the interviewer's seat, currently off. A small metal table with two chairs facing each other on opposite sides.

It struck Tony as a very old fashioned set up.

The interviewer walked in behind Tony.

"Mr Stark? My name is John Haskell. How do you do?"

Tony looked at the man, slightly smaller than himself. He was... Clerk-ish. A tiny bureaucrat. A dark suit with a white shirt and black tie. He was very neat, with greying hair and small wire rim glasses. His manner, his way of holding himself gave Tony the impression of Coulson's nerdy brother.

That suggested military training. If nothing else, he was definitely SHIELD.

"Steve too busy for me?"

"Please, take a seat." He gestured to the chair and Tony sat with a certain amount of grievance.

The man then launched into a good three minutes of fuss which Tony couldn't help but stare at. He placed a red leather bound book on the table, opening it at a free page and placing it squaring in front of him. He placed one of those twisty yellow pencils next to it and readjusting it until it was perfectly parallel with the book. He slipped off his watch and placed it above the book, the 12 and the 6 lining up perfectly with the centre of the double page.

He rested his hands in front of him; fingers interlocked and looked up at Tony now, apparently oblivious to Tony's incredulous gaze. "Can I start by saying that I am something of a fan of yours, Mr Stark?" said the quiet, efficient clipped tones.

"Really?"

"I studied Physics at Harvard, but didn't have the aptitude for it. But I know enough to see what you're doing with the arc reactor and it's very impressive."

Blank and emotionless expressions in face and speech. Put them together and Jarvis would come across as a hysterical wreck next to this guy.

"Thank you."

Haskell pressed the button on the camera delicately. A red light glowed into life.

"And can I just start by saying," Tony said, leaning forward, bumping the table, "get the fuck off Agent Romanoff's back. I don't know if it's you, or Fury or whoever, I don't care. Take this as advice or a threat, whatever, but stop."

Haskell glanced down at his pencil, moved slightly by Tony as he had knocked the table. He reached out and tapped it slightly to re-correct its position. He looked back up. "So. Where shall we start?"

"I'm fucking an Asgardian god."

Tony watched for the clerk's reaction, but the little man just stared blandly at Tony as though they were discussing the weather.

"Yes. We'll start there." He picked up the pencil, posed. "When were your first intimate relations with Loki Odinson?"

"Define intimate."

"Sexual intercourse."

Tony eyes narrowed slightly, but otherwise kept his face artificially cheerful. "Few months ago."

"Please be specific."

"Why? What's the point of all this?"

"The point of this enquiry is to gauge whether or not you're fit to hold your position among the Avengers. This is an organisation with a chain of command and a body of regulation which you have broken. My findings here today, which will be presented to the Board of Directors, will determine whether you are fit to resume your duties. When did you first engage in intercourse with Loki Odinson?"

"This is thoroughly pointless. You can't get rid of me, I'm too important! I've done plenty to-"

"You've saved the world," the man said with slight shrug. "That does not make you unique to the Avengers. When did you first engage in intercourse with Loki Odinson?"

"I've saved the world _several_ times."

"No. You've averted disaster from dangers you yourself created. Supplying weapons to terrorists-"

"That wasn't-" Tony began hotly, but was talked over.

"Allowing Obadiah Stone to steal your designs create his own suit. Vanko's grievance was purely against you. Your reckless behaviour forced a suit to be taken from you by a Captain Rhodes, I believe. This, in turn, was hijacked and used to kill and injure dozens at your expo. When did you first engage in intercourse with Loki Odinson?  
_  
You know everything he's saying it true._

_You won't admit it because you're an arrogant, self-serving, son of a-_"How was I supposed to stop Obie taking the suit when he-"

"SHIELD were there from the first. You could have turned to them for help."

"SHIELD would have taken my suit from me!"

"Thus preventing the alcoholic, playboy, weapons dealing billionaire who apparently lacked any sensible consideration, maturity or clarity and regularly caused destruction on a truly impressive scale. Please answer my question."

"And you said you were a fan."

"Yes Mr Stark; of your science and your vision. Not, if I may say, of you. Now please give me an answer."

"I've forgotten the question."

"When did you first engage in intercourse with Loki Odinson? Please give me a date."

_So, you've tried rude and that didn't work. You've tried angry and that didn't work. Now, curt._

Tony tried to calm down. "September 21st. 00:30. Stark Tower."

"How did it start?"

"The usual stereotypical big talk between the hero and villain. Then he attacked me."

"Why didn't you call the Avengers?"

"He had mucked with Jarvis. Turned him off."

"We'll need Jarvis's records to confirm."

_You can prise them out of my cold dead hands._

The clerk wrote a note before asking, "I'm assuming by 'attacked' you include-"

"Yes."

"For the record, you're confirming that your attack was both physical and sexual."

"Didn't I just say that?"

"You cut me off in the middle of my question therefore creating doubt. This interview will go faster if you do not do that."_  
_  
The clerk wrote a few more notes. Tony sat in silence, quietly fuming. "You did not tell SHIELD or the Avengers of Loki Odinson's attack?"

"I told them he attacked. I didn't tell them how."

"Why?"

Tony bit down a thousand and one barbed comments. He was trying so hard; both Natasha, Bruce and Loki had sat him down and talked him through how to handle this. He had a feeling he was going to disappoint all of them.

Nothing new there then.

"Why would I want to talk about something like that?"

"You're answering my question with a question, Mr Stark."

"Am I?"

John Haskell's look was both blank and penetrating. "When did Loki Odinson return?"

"Nine days later. 22:30. Stark Tower."

"Why didn't you call the Avengers?"

"Loki was making it personal. I wasn't going to drag my friends into it."

"That's not a reason, Mr Stark."

Tony glared. "Because I didn't want to."

"Were you anticipating sexual intercourse?"

_Urgh._

"Yes."

Haskell began writing again. He resisted the urge to try to decipher Haskell's notes. For one thing, he didn't want to seem nervous. Besides, it was in a short hand Tony wasn't familiar with and could even be unique to the man himself. He looked the type.

Tony forced himself to relax. This was the old, _give the sucker time to quietly stew_ technique and he wasn't letting himself get sucked into it. He let his thoughts drift to his Loki, wondering what he was doing. Where he was. How he was. No doubt, Loki had enjoyed the interview and winding Captain America up. Hopefully, Loki would be in a good mood tonight.

The interview carried on in a laborious manner. As the minutes ticked by, Tony was getting more and more vexed by the little sod.

"Have you ever given Loki Odinson any information about SHIELD?"

"No."

"Has Loki Odinson ever asked you for information about SHIELD?"

"No."

"Have you ever given Loki Odinson any information about your fellow Avengers?"

"No."

"Has Loki Odinson ever asked you for information about your fellow Avengers?"

Tony was getting very ratty at this point. "Yes. No, wait. No."

"Is it yes or no, Mr Stark?"

Tony rolled his eyes. "No."

"I am drawing my conclusion from Mr Stark's inference that he means that Loki Odinson has never asked him for information on the Avengers. Has Loki Odinson ever said, suggested, inferred, or indicated by nonverbal means that you should supply information about SHIELD or the Avengers?"

"No."

"Have you ever said, suggested, inferred or indicated by nonverbal means that you would supply information about SHIELD or the Avengers?"

"Fucking hell this is taking- No! No! All the answers will be no!"

"Have you ever given Loki Odinson access to the Helicarrier or any SHIELD facility?"

"No."

"Has Loki Odinson ever asked you to gain him entry to the Helicarrier or any SHIELD facility?"

"No."

"Has Loki Odinson ever-"

"I am going to fucking die in here!" Tony shouted at the ceiling, running his hands over his face.

Haskell waited for Tony to glare back at him. "Has Loki Odinson ever-"

"Gah!" Tony exclaimed. He stood, pacing up and down, trying to get rid of the crick in his neck. "How long has this been going on for?"

Haskell glanced at his watch. "One hour, nine minutes and thirty-four seconds."

Tony glared. "There's something pretty freakish about you, you know?"

Haskell titled his head. "So I've been told. Has Loki Odinson ever to the best of your knowledge gained access to the Helicarrier or any SHIELD facility in the period since your relationship started which is the date you have given as the 21st of September of this year?"

_Fuck fuck fuck.  
_  
"Look, I don't want to sound disrespectful, how fucking long is this going to go on for?"

"I don't want sound disrespectful either, Mr Stark, but however the hell long I want. It is my ultimate recommendation that will play a large part in your fate in the Avengers and if I were you, I would sit back down and answer my questions."

Tony sat back down heavily, bumping the table.

Haskell eyes flickered down, and touched his pencil and watch quickly, correcting their positions.

Tony raised an eyebrow. "That's a real nasty tick you've got there."

"As it the nature of things, the human race as a species, and at an individual level, are fundamentally flawed owing to the fact that 'perfection' is an abstract quality which has no physical manifestation. In my case, psychiatrists call it OCD or Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. I call it the quite reasonable need to correct a world around me which is in disarray." He gazed steadily at Tony. "We are both men who cannot deal with the world as presented so we developed coping mechanisms to deal with it. You are narcissistic and destructive because building and destroying is easier, in your mind, than maintaining in a world that is bent on immediacy."

_Okay…_

"You studied physics or philosophy?"

"I would not call them mutually exclusive. Has Loki Odinson ever to the best of your knowledge gained access to the Helicarrier or any SHIELD facility in the period since your relationship started which is the date you have given as the 21st of September of this year?"

_It's the beginning of the end and it all begins in this room with this strange little freak._

"…Yes."

Haskell picking up his pencil. "Could you please elaborate?"

"23rd of November. He came to the Helicarrier."

"How?"

"Fuck if I know. Magic."

"What happened?"

Tony just glared.

"Am I to infer that you and he had sexual relations?"

Tony didn't answer.

"Mr Stark, I need an an-"

"Yes."

"You and Loki Odinson had sexual relations?"

"We don't have _sexual relations_. He fucks me."

"And then?"

"Generally I pass out."

"Mr Stark, I imagine you are finding this conversation very uncomfortable. No doubt, you are hoping your crudeness and bluntness will equally embarrass me in an effort to derail my thoughts. I can tell you now, this is not going to happen. This does not need to be as drawn out as you seem intent on making it. After your intimate relations with Loki Odinson on the 23rd of November, what did you both do then?"

"Slept."

"You fell asleep?"

"We both did."

"Can you say without hesitation that Loki Odinson remained in the bed whilst you were asleep?"

Tony shifted uncomfortably. "Obviously I can't."

Haskell made this notes.

"He didn't do anything," Tony said, more scared by that pencil than he had been in the face of a flying Chitauri alien eel thing.

"You cannot guarantee that, Mr Stark."

Tony opened his mouth and shut it again. _Of course I can't. I'm not even sure myself._

"Mr Stark, are you aware that Loki Odinson can create projections of himself which appear, from our research, while not autonomous, independent of their creator?"

Tony smirked, in his head reliving every moment with those, not autonomous, but independent clones of Loki. _Fuck, I need him. Where is he?_

"Can you be sure that, while you and Loki Odinson were participating in sexual relations, a clone or clones were not breaching the Helicarrier's defences?"

Tony stayed quiet. _No. I can't be sure. But I'll do you one better – what if Loki's clones were out and about, given his shape shifting ability, couldn't he walk down the corridor as just another solider and no one notice?_

Tony loved his god. Tony worshiped his god. But all the while, that lurking tendril of doubt curled up and around his heart. What was he going to do the day Loki went and did something really, really evil? Tony could only pray he had the strength and the faith not to let what they have shatter because of it.

He didn't want to be in his room anymore. If he had ever wanted to be here in the first place. It was making him think too hard.

"Have you ever given Loki Odinson any information about SHIELD missions?"

"...Yes."

Haskell's expression didn't change. "Could you please elaborate?"

In halting sentences, Tony described the Bifrost incident as best he could. Tony watched the pencil scripting in fine, spidery lettering. "I was trying to get information out of him." Tony said defiantly.

"Yes Mr Stark."

"Yes what?"

"Just yes, Mr Stark. Such incidences only serve to highlight the need for correct procedure to be drawn up and followed."

"Oh? And what is the _correct procedure_ for sleeping with a Nordic god and information gathering?"

"There is no procedure, which I suggest is rather the point."

The interview finished maybe half an hour after that. Tony glared at the little man as he switched off the camera and packed away his book and pencil into an inside pocket. He replaced his watch. He stood and straightened his jacket, brushing away a tiny or even imagined fleck of dust.

If Tony was being truthful, he was feeling beaten and scared. "What now?" He demanded.

"Now I present my findings to the Board of Directors. They, with Director Fury's input, they will make the final decision."

"And what are your findings?"

"You have given me my findings."

"Then what is your opinion?" Tony snapped, a little annoyed at having to beg for it.

Haskell looked at him intensely. "Your actions have been detrimental and irresponsible. You have endangered SHIELD, the Avengers, the world and lastly yourself. However, you are, as you so frequently point out, a very valuable asset. I know in this, I am at odds with Agent Romanoff's initial entrance report; it is my opinion that whilst we could take the suit from you, a suit doesn't make an Avenger. It is Tony Stark we need, with or without the Iron Man."

The man turned away.

"I didn't say," Tony added, as Haskell placed his hand on the door handle. "I..." He swallowed. "I love him."

The man looked back and for the first time that face wore an emotion. Tony cringed. Haskell was looking sympathetic. "I'm sorry, Mr Stark, but in the grand scheme of things, that does not matter."


	53. Chapter 53: Howard Stark

Tony sat in the small interview room for a long time before Bruce appeared. With quiet words and some cajoling, Tony followed the doctor back to the comforting familiar surroundings of a lab. Tony sat heavily in a chair and waved away what Bruce proffered. "I don't want to drink."

"Now I'm worried," Bruce said in a small laugh.

The little laugh seemed to shift the block in Tony's head and he smiled, exhaustion etched on his face. "I want sex," he muttered miserably.

"Well, you're going to have to wait for Loki," Bruce said very definitely.

"Aw, Brucey. You break my heart."

"You'll manage I'm sure."

Tony felt the hand on his shoulder squeeze slightly in a reassuring way.

"You've been suspended."

"I figured."

"All access revoked and you'll only be called in if there's an apocalypse size battle going on."

Tony rolled his eyes. "So next week then."

"Yeah, probably." Bruce sighed, clearly working his way up to the big one. "They want to confiscate your suits."

"Yep."

"They tried while you were in the interview."

"I thought they would."

"Jarvis tranquilised an entire SHIELD team. And blew up their van."

Tony smiled.

"Fury's going to ask you to hand them over. I think you sh-"

"No, Bruce," Tony said. It was quiet and gentle and calm, but said with such certainty that Bruce didn't bring the subject up again. "I'd hand over the suits like I'd hand over my arms. Drop it."

It became official an hour later. Not to string things out, Fury demanded Tony hand over his suits, Tony refused. Fury told him he was suspended. Tony said 'fuck you'.

Fury rubbed his brow. "Three months, provisionally. I don't want to see you in the papers; I don't want to see the Iron Man even for a moment. Go to the tower, or Malibu, or wherever the fuck you want to go, but stay there. I don't want to see sight or sound of you for three months."

"Where's Loki?" Tony demanded.

"Gone."

"Gone where?"

"How the fuck should I know? Thor and the mother fucking psycho disappeared off after your interview."

Tony glanced at Bruce and he nodded reassuringly. "I saw them go."

Tony felt his back teeth grinding together and forced himself to get a grip. "You need me," he said, glaring at Fury. "Don't forget that."

"SHIELD needs you like a hole in the head. You're an out of control, egocentric dickwad. Now get your ass off of my boat."

Xxx

Ah, Malibu.

There really wasn't much more to say. Tony had spent a little of bit of time everywhere. He had learnt French, Spanish, Mandarin, Hindustani and now Asgardian. But hell, it would always be Malibu.

"Home sweet home," he announced, walking in through the large glass doors.

"Indeed sir. Can I offer refreshments?"

"Oh yeah. We're having a party tonight," Tony muttered sarcastically. Honestly he just wanted to bury himself in his work and not look up for three months.

"Of course, sir. Just a quick note, some gentlemen from SHIELD attempted to breech Stark Tower in New York. I dealt with them with maximum efficiency."

"Good boy Jarvis."

"Thank you sir."

Tony was going to have to arrange for Hogan and some Stark Industries security guys he trusted to go round and bring over some essentials. In fact, maybe just bring all the suits. Tony had plenty of security here and the move was… almost inevitable. Why put it off?

He turned to see Bruce hovering by the door, his traveling duffle bag still in hand. "What are you doing?" Tony demanded. "Get your ass in here and have a drink."

Bruce smiled gently and walked in. He dropped his bag hesitantly by the staircase and wandered into the main living space. "Nice place."

"You haven't been here before," Tony said, the fact only just hitting here. "Oh, well. You're in for a treat. Fireplace, bar, couple of bedrooms, lab downstairs and check out the view."

"Amazing."

"Yeah. You're privileged. Not many people get invited here you know. Just you, Pepper, those couple of dozen people for my birthday last year… er… a few hookers. That press conference I gave. You know, the exclusive few."

Bruce gave a small laugh. Tony could always rely on his friend to pander to his childish humour. Tony pushed a glass into Bruce's hand and stood next to him, equally admiring the view. He could never tire of it.

"Maybe I could…?" Bruce asked.

"Oh yeah, right. Upstairs, turn right, pick any room you want."

"Cheers, Tony." Bruce was halfway up the stairs before he paused, glancing at Tony over his shoulder. "I didn't think you'd want me to… I mean… I'm not going to press you unless… so long as you don't want me to. So long as you're… okay?"

Tony took a long drink from his glass and shrugged placidly. "Why wouldn't I be?"

Bruce gave him a look of pity, before mounting the stairs to the bedrooms.

Tony waited until he heard a door close. Then he quickly turned to table, hitting a button. A Stark designed keyboard flipped out and rose, while light projectors created multiple screens in front of him. His hazel eyes were lit up by the gleam.

"Jarvis, tell me you didn't let me down."

"Would I ever, sir? Allow me to pull up the footage."

There are three things in this world you don't want. Nobody wants to die. Nobody wants a paper cut. And nobody wants a pissed off Tony Stark pissed off with them. Hacking into SHIELD was the very least Tony could do to them. Ironically, given they had suspended him for it, the fact his attentions were now thoroughly diverted by a demanding lover was a blessing to SHIELD.

The screens flickered and began to play. The footage showed Thor dismissing the guards and pulling Loki away from the group, down one of the SHIELD corridors. The time and date stamp where right for Loki having just finished his interview.

Tony leant forward as Thor began to speak. "I did not believe you loved him until today."

On screen, Loki gave his adopted bother an impassive look and turned away. But Thor pulled him back round and stared hard into his eyes. "I did not believe it. I do now."

"How wonderful for you," Loki purred. "Now you can rest easy knowing that Tony is all safe and sound and loved." Loki's tone was purely derogatory and he made no effort to hide it. "I hope you feel better now, for allowing one of your precious mortal to be _used so shamefully_."

"And even you shudder at the idea of destroying great art." Thor said, slowly, clearly, definitely. Tony frowned. With that sentence, Thor was making a point and Tony knew he had heard it somewhere before.

Tony couldn't believe it when Loki's face went dead and he pulled back slightly.

Thor nodded. "I've heard that before. I remember where and when I last heard that. And I remember the look on your face. It's exactly how you look when you look upon Tony. Your great art."

Loki's gaze flickered away. He turned on his heel and walked away down the corridor, but stopped dead still as Thor said, "You love him."

The raven haired god stood motionless for almost a minute before looking over his shoulder. "No more… than any could… love such a creature." Loki was confused and hesitant.

"Loki-"

"No more than…" Loki faltered. "He…" Loki looked at Thor, though not really seeing him, his face frowning and puzzled. "I bound him to me to destroy you and to re-enter Asgard. And I will destroy him, Thor. It will take from him everything he thinks he is and leave him with nothing. Art is only beautiful when it burns. I will destroy him before you, there was no other reason to keep him." Loki began to walk away.

"Loki!"

"Oh, and the sex is incredible," Loki called back, finally returning to the swagger.

Thor looked frustrated and defeated.

Tony leaned back as the footage ended. He chewed his tongue and admitted to himself that finding out what had caused Thor to realise Loki's love hadn't exactly helped him in any way. It was still a mystery.

But then, the two men had almost a thousand years of history together, and people who are that close for so long develop their own language, their own code and ways of thinking. This was one of those Asgardian things Tony could never hope to understand.

_But the minute I get my hands on Thor, I'm damn well going to try._

He heard a movement and turned off the light table in time. Bruce walked slowly down the spiral staircase. The man had clearly washed up and changed. He smiled. "I've gotta see this lab," he said amicably.

"Knock yourself out. Downstairs. The code is 77-8-7-25."

Bruce was at the door to the lab when he suddenly snorted with laughter. He looked back at Tony, a board grin on his face. "77-8-7-25? Seriously?"

Tony returned the smile with a little shake of the head. "See? This is why I love you man. You're the only one I know who'd get that joke."

He heard Bruce chuckling on his way down the stairs. Tony felt a fondness that managed to blot out the silently clawing pain of his suspension. The pain of Loki's absence, which was more than just the _woest me, my lover's gone_. No, it was the bitch-slapping pain of _your prince is in another realm_ sort of pain.

Little Mario joke for you there. Nothing special. Tony didn't have the energy for much more today. The pitching, prickling pain of withdrawal was getting sharper by the hour. And the longer Loki and Tony spent together, the sooner Loki's absence caused the pain. Tony began to wonder if Loki simply leaving the room would throw him into agony. _Shit. Something to look forward to._

Instead of joining Bruce, which would have been the sensible option, Tony remained on the couch, nursing his sullen temper, occasionally re-watching the footage from the Helicarrier.

Maybe an hour later, he heard a knock on the glass and looked up. Steve, in his jeans and leather jacket was standing by the sliding glass door. Tony could see his bike behind him so at least the ass had come alone.

Tony considered ignoring the man. But the guy who had spent sixty five years encased in ice was nothing if not patient. Seriously. The way the guy was standing and staring at him made it clear he could stand there all night. And probably would.

Tony gave up in the face of that silent strength and pulled open the door. Steve stepped in, throwing a cursory glance around the living room, before turned to look up onto the balcony leading to the bedrooms.

"Relax Captain Test Tube. He's not here."

Steve gave a slight shrug.

"What do you want?"

Steve looked uncomfortable. "Tony, you've got to stop."

"Stop what?"

"Tony," Steve said wearily. "You know that what you're doing is wrong."

"Do I?"

"You're going to stop."

"Am I?"

"Tony!"

"Steve?"

The man walked away, seemingly trying to gather himself. Tony watched him walk sceptically. Steve rounded back on him. "He's the enemy. You're sleeping with the enemy."

"Let's cut the crap and get down to what we're talking about - it's because he's a man."

"Yeah," Steve said. You had to admire his honesty at least. "And a murderer. And a bad guy. Tony... What are you doing?"

"I don't see what business it is of yours."

Steve shook his head. "He's blinded you. Do you know Hammer's only just been released from hospital?"

"Hammer got what was coming to him," Tony said.

"Our SHIELD agent is still missing, after reporting that he saw Loki and Doom in conference."

Tony felt that creeping doubt bubbling up inside him, but pushed it away. "And what makes you so certain that's Loki's doing and not Victor's?"

"He's planning to, or claims to be planning to, murder Doom in cold blood. He killed dozens of people in the attack on New York. You're blind, Tony. No matter what else he is, he's still a monster."

"Is that all?"

Steve shook his head, running a hand across his mouth. "You know, it's… bizarre. It's just… impossible that you can be his son."

Tony's face went dark. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Your father was a hero. And a friend. He was a genius and stand-up guy-"

"He was a raging alcoholic and a fucking asshole," Tony said. "Don't you dare try and tell me who my father was. You have no fucking clue."

"He served his country with everything he had and now look at his son! Turned into a toy for-"

"Shut up!"

"What would Howard say-"

"Don't you dare!" Shouted Tony, losing his cool, throwing a fist straight at Steve. It caught him on the jaw and Tony felt a finger break.

He didn't have time to be concerned by the lancing pain before Tony flew back and over a couch by an answering blow from Steve. He landed with a violent whack on the hard floor, his head swimming, a pain now in his jaw. That was probably broken too.

"Tony!" Steve vaulted out the couch and was picking him up. "I'm sorry; are you alright?"

And that was it, wasn't it? Because Steve and Thor and Loki and Bruce... Even Natasha and Barton had their mad skills. But Tony... Out of his suit... Tony was everything Loki said he was, hapless, vulnerable and breakable.

He shoved Steve backwards, staggering back as he blinked his eyes clear.

Steve stared as white light glittered vaguely round Tony's fingers and jaw. When it evaporated, Tony rubbed his chin, trying to shift the lingering pain.

"You-" Tony started, then stopped as the sheer weight of what he wanted to say suck in his throat.

"What's going on?" Bruce said. He was on the last step of the stairs from the lab.

"Nothing. Mummy and Daddy are just talking, Bruce. Go back to bed." Tony sneered, staring angrily at a sad but defiant Steve. "And you were just leaving."

"Tony, I'm sorry I hit you. But I can't leave. Not until you tell me this is going to stop."

"Don't ask, don't tell. You know Bruce standing up for you just because you were born in the 1940s so your fucking attitude is somehow acceptable-"

"Do I like the fact that you're sleeping with a man? No. But I wouldn't put myself in the middle of it if it wasn't Loki. You have to put a stop to it."

"I won't. I can't. Not to sound like a hysterical girl, but I'll die without him. Literally. I don't know, man. Ask Thor. It's all that magic bull but I've felt what happens when we're apart for too long and it's nasty."

"So he's trapped you? Manipulated you into this."

"It's easier to think that than accept the truth."

"The truth?"

"That I asked for this. I begged for it. And I'll fight to protect it." Tony glared at Bruce who was still hovering. "Go back down to the lab, its fine. The last thing we need is for Mr Hyde to turn up, alright?"

Bruce nodded and descended, throwing a worried glance back at the pair.

"Why the hell are you still here, Choirboy?"

Steve folded his arms. "I'm staying."

Tony shrugged. "Fine. Make yourself fucking comfortable."

He turned and ascended the stairs up to the bedroom. On the last step, he turned and looked down at Steve. From this angle, he was concealed by the shadow and angle of the wall and banister.

Tony needed a minute, just a minute to clear his fucking head. Steve's appearance had forced his red and black cloud across his vision and he was literally shaking with rage and adrenaline.

_No. No it's not Steve who's made you angry. _

_It was what Steve was talking about…_

He watched Steve pace with a sour look on his face and silently cursed the man.

Tony jumped as Loki's body pressed against his back, holding his mouth shut. "Why's he here?" Loki muttered.

Tony rolled his eyes and grumbled into the hand.

The hand moved back slightly. "What?"

"You're covering my mouth, moron." Tony hissed petulantly. Loki responded to a sharp slap to Tony's ass. Tony shuddered with a smile. "Fuck I've needed you so bad," he muttered desperately.

"I know my love, I'm sorry. Thor pulled me back to Asgard and I have only just escaped him."

"I knew you weren't in this realm. I could feel it. It's like an ache." Tony sighed. "Loki," he muttered passionately, more needing to say it, to know he was there than anything else.

"Why is the blue-eyed boy here?"

"He's not leaving until he's convinced me to dump you, apparently."

Loki made a short noise of amused. "Well, Captain or no, I require your body. Now."

_Fuck me fuck me fuck me._

"I'll get rid of-"

"Humm, no. I don't think so." A hand returned to his mouth, holding it shut. Tony's eyes widened as his belt was undone and his trousers pulled down.

Loki's hand fumbled with a strong pressure on his length. Tony's eyes fluttered enjoyably as he did everything he could not to groan.

"Can I assume from your lack of struggle that you're just as keen for this little game as I am?"

Tony nodded excitedly. Having Loki pound him hard with Steve just meters away? _Fuck yeah!_

"So will you be a good boy?" Loki whispered. It wasn't a verbal answer he was after, but the twitch in Tony's rapidly hardening cock.

Tony shuddered in nasty satisfaction as he watched Steve pacing the room by the large window. The man so appalled at Tony and the new happiness in his life, it was...

His vision went dull and hazy as Loki quickly prepared him. This wasn't a drawn out romance, Loki was already thrusting Tony against the wall. It was dark and dirty and completely malicious. For Tony, it was a snub at a man who thought himself so above him.

Tony couldn't imagine Loki's motivation. Possibly just general mischief making.

But damn it felt amazing. Tony's eyes opened again, his body alive in pleasure and the fear of being caught, his heart racing, pounding in his chest so hard he swore it must be audible.

There was a heat rising in his body, starting in his chest, up his neck and making his face red and flushed. Loki's mouth sucked down on Tony's neck and he came very close to cumming there and then.

Loki's hand wrapped around him now and stroked hard. Tony moaned delighted into the strong hand. Loki's cock grazed his prostate and Tony's knees briefly buckled before he forced himself back onto his feet. He was torn between panting and laughing, keening and crying. Loki's arms around him were so tight, so warm, so strong.

Steve was sitting on the couch now, one hand resting on the armrest as he thought hard.

Howard Stark. The legendary Howard Stark. And somehow, Steve had gotten it into his head that the great Howard Stark was someone Tony was supposed to be emulating.

A drunk. An asshole. A tyrant.

The last time they had spoken… fuck, there was an old memory better left forgotten. The last time they had spoken Tony had passed summa cum laude from MIT at seventeen years old. But that wasn't enough. It was never enough for Howard. Nothing had ever been enough.

The argument had been over some party… no, it wasn't the party Howard had objected to, but Tony's insistence on driving there in the Mercedes 280 SL. Now that was a beautiful car. Tony missed that silver painted, cream leather interior beauty. Tony missed it because he had gotten hammered at the party and driven it into a lake. Howard hadn't spoken to him after that. That usually blew over after a month, or until Tony did something else wrong. But a week into the month long cold shoulder, Howard's plane had hit the mountain and that's the way life is.

Of all the things their final argument could have been about, it had been trivial, pointless and not in the very least portentous.

Of everything Tony could have yelled at him in that final argument, it was the fact that Howard wouldn't let him drive a car to a party. Tony could have used that time wisely. He could have demanded to know what he had done to make Howard so disappointed with everything he did. He could have screamed at him for turning his back on him after his mother died. He could have explained, in vividly colourful language, that Howard was at once the most important and the most hated man in his life.

But no. It was about the Mercedes 280 SL. That was the last time he and Tony had spoken before Howard, the great Howard, had died on that plane.

No man was perfect. No man was an idol. No man was a hero to his friends.

_I'm not a hero to Loki. I'm just the most important thing in his world._

Tony worked his body back into Loki furiously.

_I am Tony Stark. I have built a clean source of energy which is going to save the world. I am a warrior, I defend the world against nightmares you can only imagine. _

_I am not, repeat, not beholden to anyone when I'm off the clock. What I do in my private life is not who I am, or what I am, any more than my father was 'just' a raging drunk. _

Howard had been a raging drunk and had driven more than his fair share of cars into walls, lakes and other things you're not meant to hit head on. Had Howard looked at Tony and seen the beginnings of something in himself he hadn't liked?

_Fuck if I know._

Tony's eyes rolled back in his head as Loki shifted his angle slightly, causing his heart to pound in his chest so hard he could feel it throughout his body. _Fuck, yeah, yeah, please, Loki, right there!_

Tony shuddered again. So close. Loki's wet mouth sucked on Tony's ear. "Yes! Yes Tony," he whispered harshly as he pounded. "With each of their desperate attempts to pull you away from me, I just push all that harder."

And fuck, he was. His cock was impaling him so roughly Tony was actually worried about getting split in half. _More, more, please._

Howard Stark had been a businessman and brilliant inventor. And a raging, abusive drunk.

Tony Stark was an industrialist and visionary engineer. And the boy.

_I think I understand that now._

"Every whisper of treachery they pour in your ear, I will whisper a thousand of love. Every time they pull you away, I will pull you to our bed. Every time they fuck with your head, I will just fuck you," Loki growled.

_Oh sweet god it's so sexy when he swears!_

"Every time they hurt you, I will make you cum," Loki promised. The hand at Tony's cock, so skilled and so understanding of Tony's need, now forced him over that edge.

Tony's muffled wail was covered up by an unlikely source.

"Sir, can I offer you refreshments?"

Tony shuddered as behind him Loki came, pushing Tony hard against the wall and writhing against him as he exploded into Tony's sore body. The billionaire hung in strong arms as Steve asked for coffee and Jarvis directed him to the kitchen where it was being made.

_Thanks Jarvis. Good save._

Steve left their line of sight now, and Tony released the breath that had been caught in his chest, Loki's hand still firmly against his mouth. He finally managed to support his own weight and leaned against the wall, Loki's arms around him.

Loki panted in Tony's ear, chuckling mirthlessly. "I do believe if your Captain could be in your position now, he would not be so clearly frustrated."

Tony bit Loki's hand.

The god gasped and pulled it back sharply, glaring at his boy.

Tony turned hazel eyes on his god. Not angry, not demanding. Just steady. "Don't you even think about it," he said, slowly and calmly. "You're mine."

He held the green eyes in a long gaze until Loki's eyes dropped down slightly. "Of course not, Tony," Loki soothed, stroking Tony's hair back out of his eyes. "You know that I would never." The voice took on a worried tone. "Don't you?"

Tony stared into the face. "Tell me you're mine."

Loki titled his head slightly. "I'm yours, Tony."

"Tell me I haven't jeopardised my entire life, my reputation, my world for a man who doesn't understand that."

Loki fixed Tony's clothes carefully, looking small and said soothingly, "I'm yours, Tony. No matter what. You will always have a life to come to, even if the one you knew is no longer there."

"Good. Now go on. The last thing I need is for Steve to catch you here."

Loki pressed his lips against Tony and drew out a long and lazy kiss. "Call me back when he is gone."

"And you'll make me feel good?" Tony asked.

"I'll make you scream."

"Brilliant," Tony said honestly. "Looking forward to it. Now go on."

Loki shimmered away and Tony sighed again. He walked down the steps back to the main room just as Steve remerged. He was holding his coffee and looking pensive. He leaned against the wall and glanced up at Tony.

"You've never liked me," the super solider said, matter-of-factly.

Tony shrugged. He felt calmer now as he always did after Loki. Calmer and ironically, given his submissive position to Loki, more powerful. "Yeah, well. Try growing up with a father who barely noticed your existence but spent hours talking about the great Captain America, his greatest friend and saviour of us all. Leaves its mark on a kid who only wanted to make his father proud."

Steve held his gaze for a minute, then his blue eyes dropped to the floor. "I'm sorry."

Tony shrugged again. "Not your fault. But to answer your earlier question, what would he say? I have no idea. There'd be a lot of yelling. Probably some disowning. Then I wouldn't see him for the next month as he went on a bender to end all benders. People change in twenty, thirty years. I don't know who you met, but it was not my father."

"He was a good man."

"Sure. He was. And I fund charities, I save the world, I look after the people important to me – well. In my own way. My personal life is my own."

"You don't," Steve started, rubbing his face. "You just don't get… I don't care who you're sleeping with, I care that… He's a murder and a traitor and he's going to…" Steve gave up. He put the undrunk coffee on the table. "You've got a few months off. Enjoy them."

"I will."

Steve left without another word.

Tony picked up the coffee and took a few gulps. Bruce appeared at the top of the stairs. He smiled nervously. "Anything broken?"

"Just my pride."

Bruce frowned. "You look… flushed."

"Loki dropped in."

Bruce opened his mouth, clearly confused. Then stopped. Opened his mouth again. His eyes widened and he shook his head. "Actually, forget it. I don't want to know."

"Atta boy Bruce."


	54. Chapter 54: A Joke, a Game

**A/N: It was interesting to see who was curious about the code to the lab and who wasn't! I've put the answer at the end of this chapter for anyone who was.**

Tony felt like a dying man. Whoever he spoke to did it slowly and gently. And, like a dying man, he was getting visitors who came to talk with artificial cheeriness with the victim.

He walked over as Jarvis announced his latest pair of guests and let the AI unlock the doors.

Thor walked in first, striding into a room as was his way, Jane following behind him. "Er… Happy Suspension?" Jane said with a little half smile, in the way of celebrating a birthday. "I've been suspended before, it's really no biggee."

"Really? What were you suspended for?"

"I had this crazy idea about Einstein-Rosen Bridge bridges leading to places we couldn't imagine." Jane shrugged. "The lab I was working in had this really tyrannical Project Leader who really didn't like that a woman was showing him up."

"Is that all?"

"I might have called him… urm… something unpleasant. So yeah. I got suspended."

"Neat story. I got suspended because I'm fucking a Nordic God."

Thor looked reprovingly at him, as though course language around his woman was not encouraged. Jane just looked amused. "Well… I'd call you a moron, but… I think it might be hypocritical. I'd only say that a guy who'd send down a war machine to a small town, just to rip apart his brother and who would open a hole in the universe just to let in an army to level the planet might not be the healthiest choice of relationship. But what do I know?" Jane glanced around. "Erm, is there…?"

"Upstairs."

"Thanks."

Jane walked up the stairs and Tony turned his gaze on Thor. "Hey big boy, what's hanging?" _I honestly do this just to watch the puzzled and alarmed look on his face. _"What are you doing here?" Tony clarified.

"Jane and I wanted to see how you were."

"Why would I be anything but giddy as a school girl? Think of all the free time I have."

"You may act the merry fool, but I know better my friend."

"Watch you you're calling merry fool, Hercules. Tell me what Loki said."

Thor knew immediately what Tony meant. "I would rather not."

"Tell me now."

"Tony, it is not some secret code. I have no definite proof for my suspicions. I may indeed be wrong. It throws back to the past, of something he once... I would not even have remembered it had it not been on my mind of late."

"You've got to tell me."

"I doubt it will mean anything to you. As I say, I may be reading more into his intentions than-"

"Just tell me."

"Great art. The way he spoke of you. 'Even I shudder at destroying great art'. It reminded me of an event in our past."

Tony waiting, looking expectant. Thor sighed. "There was a- this happened centuries ago. When we were but youths. But there was a hall in Asgard where great art was displayed."

Asgard is an empire built by its history. When time for a race was practically infinite, you learnt to remember your history with even more vigour. Every street, every arch, every turret all had a story and those stories were of war. And warriors. Honour and sacrifice.

The Arch of Sigr was now two ancient, grey stone columns with the merest suggestion of a connecting half circle of stone between them. A market place had now sprung up around it, but all knew the arch was the site where the great hero Holmstæin fell, keeping back the Ice Giants and giving the King of that age time to escape back to the palace.

The Step of Grunde, though it was originally known as the High Battlement, was renamed after the great thinker Grunde strategized the march on the Dark Elves of Svartálfar, who had taken up encampment in the lower parts of the city, attempting to cut off incoming alley support. Children of Asgard heard these tales long before their first childhood lessons. The great heroes of the Aesir, and their foul, loathsome, cowardly and traitorous enemies who did not possess a warrior's honour. The craven, wretched Dark Elves, the insane Fire Giants of Muspelheim and worse, the most reviled, unprincipled, callous Frost Giants. The blue, hulking masses had no souls, no honour, no law and stood out in the Nine Realms as the creatures all others despised. Despite their supremacy over the other realms, the Aesir had fought alongside the baser creatures such as Dark Elves and Fire Giants. It had always been when fighting the Jotun.

But not all of Asgard was built on war. The libraries and workshops where, not only armour, but fine metal craftsmanship was wrought. The great walls which circled Asgard and the palace were a monument to deception and trickery, rather than force. Loki's work.

And there is a hall within the palace, open to the public, where the greatest examples of Asgard's art were forever housed. Thor had walked these halls often. Most of the citizens of Asgard had at one time come to compare themselves to Asgard's greatest. The faces of heroes looked down on him and Thor knew the day would come when his portrait was here. He was already level with them all and he was barely reaching adulthood. He too would become the subject of an eternal canvas, to be remembered by all as Asgard's greatest hero.

Thor smiled. Then he glanced over his shoulder, a dark worry coming to sully his good mood. In-between training and studying, their time was their own. As Thor had some pressing matters to discuss with his brother, he had followed Loki to the gallery.

Thor strode over to stand at his side. "Griotgard." he said approvingly. "A great warrior."

Loki seemed to stir. "I'm sorry?"

"You gaze upon the sacker of cities, the Mighty Griotgard."

Loki glanced up at Thor and, as always, Thor had that feeling Loki was having a private joke at Thor's expense. The green eyes flickered slightly. "I gaze, brother, at the art."

"That is what I said."

"No. You look upon this and see the man. I see the form, the shape, the play of light over the skin and armour. Hallvard is indeed a most talented oil colourist."

Thor resisted the temptation to roll his eyes at Loki. His younger brother was always so...

"You wanted to speak to me, brother."

"I did not say so," Thor said quickly.

"No, but you follow me here, when I know the maid Dalla is most desperate for your attention. It must be serious to pass up such a tempting opportunity."

Thor laughed full-heartedly. It was true that the maid was enamoured by him. Most of the women in the palace were. It would not take too many words to bring about a night with Dalla in his arms. It probably would not take any words at all. "You see much. Too much, brother."

"I see all there is to see, though none of it impresses me. Alas, things are only beautiful when they burn." Loki threw a disparaging look upon the canvases and turned away. "You would speak to me?"

"Yes. It is of this... Arranged marriage."

"Arranged marriage?"

"Do not play coy. You see much, you were not fooled by these cousins sudden appearance and neither was I. Paying duty to the King; you and I both know this to be purely an excuse." Thor turned to indicate the furthest side of the gallery. There was a display of near priceless heirlooms brought here by the family of Vili. "I believe that to be their dowry."

A small fortune of gold and jewels of varying sizes lay in a glass case, along with a long blade with an ivory handle which had been wielded by their greatest ancestor, Borr, against the Frost Giants when his sword had been destroyed by their king. It was a blade that had bathed in the blood of a thousand fallen giants. Or so the legends say. It was best not to get Odin started on tales of his father, the Valiant Borr.

Loki gave the display a trivialising glance before shrugging. "A gift, they said. To heal old wounds and repair family ties. Surely you know enough of family politics to realise this is so."

"Has the magic you toy with rotted your brain? How can you not see this to be true when it is as clear to me as the sky?"

At this pointed they had stepped through the large doors and out into the gardens which lay outside the gallery. Loki looked up. "Not so clear, brother. I believe it is going to rain."

"Loki," growled Thor. "_I_ am to be the gift that heals the family wound."

Thor could have sworn he heard a muffled snort from Loki. When he spoke, though, it was all sympathy and calm. "You believe Father and Mother to be plotting your yoking?"

Thor felt the anger bubble under the surface of his skin, prickling like a thousand tiny hot needles. "You laugh at me."

"Of course not, Thor," Loki soothed. His words were always so tender and consoling. "Please, do go on."

"I believe it is Odin's intention to betroth me to his nephew's daughter."

It caused Thor great pain and anger to know that by marrying him to this distant cousin, two branches of a family who continually locked horns would be finally settled. Political marriages were for the younger daughters of large families, not the eldest son and heir to Asgard. It burnt him, but he knew if Odin commanded it, he would have to obey. He had no choice, no way out.

But that was Loki's gift, wasn't it? His brother was as a snake, but Thor believed that with the greatest respect. Dangerous creatures with much strength and capable of eluding mighty predators. His brother loved him, he would do this for him.

"The eldest? Lady Cecelia. She is most fair."

Thor gave Loki a dark look. Fair the woman may be, in an ethereal way. Long blonde, practically white hair reaching her waist and a vacant, milky blue eyed expression that put Thor in mind of some manner of Bovinae. She did not appeal to Thor. In females, his interest tended more towards women such as this recent arrival to the palace, Sif.

No, this ethereal creature piqued no interest in Thor. His wife would be strong and capable. Someone who could bear children and defend their home while he fought wars. His lady cousin looked the kind to faint at the merest commotion.

"You must know of some way for me to avoid this match. You are the schemer. You are the intelligent one."

"Not I, brother."

"Yes you." Thor knew he was a proud man. He knew he was quick to temper. But he also knew Loki to be the smarter and many a time he had relied on his little brother's fast wit. Loki had not let him down thus far. "Do not hold back, Loki. I ask you for help and you spurn me?"

Loki stopped walking with a sigh. They were through the gardens now, almost at the point where the greenery met the stables. From here, it was usual for Thor to enter the stables and go out riding. Loki would follow the wall around, either to the left or the right, and disappear for hours until the next lesson or a meal.

"I will... consider your problem."

"And you will not fail me?" Thor demanded.

"Never as long I live, brother."

Thor looked up at the sky, his thoughts settling now the weight of the problem was now upon other shoulders. When he was King, he would have no worries at all. All would be put upon his loyal servants and all he would have to do was command. Then, Asgard would enter an age of triumph.

Thor smiled at Loki. "And what of you? The Lady Bovinae brought many a sister in tow. Some are not wholly ugly. Did none strike your fancy?"

"No." A half smile crooked Loki's thin lips. "Though, one of the serving boys..."

"I speak of marriage, not entertainment. I speak of love, Loki."

"Ah. You speak of love like it where a given fact of nature. Why would I ever love?"

"Come now, brother."

Loki seemed to consider the proposition. "Perhaps. Should I happen upon the right creature."

"And what would be the _right_ creature?"

Loki smiled. "Well... Rich, she shall be."

Thor snorted in laughter.

"Intelligent, or how could she maintain my interest? Beautiful, or how would I look upon her? She will be lithe and healthy, but not so slight and bony that there would be nothing to grasp hold of in the throes of passion. And her hair… may be whatever shade the Nine Realms pleases it to be, it matters not."

Thor shook his head at his younger brother's blasé attitude to love, as though he were choosing a set of armour by its merits rather than a lover and a wife for the long centuries ahead. Unable to resist probing this bizarre viewpoint, Thor asked, "And her eyes?"

"Ah, her eyes... Her eyes must contain all she is and all she shall be. Her eyes must be... Soulful. Or how else could I know her to be true? She shall be, in a word, brother: Art."

"With such a standard, it will amaze me should you ever find a wife."

"Forgive me brother, I was speaking of love. Not marriage."

Thor shook his head. "You would tell me then to take this creature as my bride and find love elsewhere?"

"I tell you nothing."

"I seek your counsel. I seek it now and I shall do so when I am King. So advise me."

Loki sighed. "Have patience, Thor. All will right itself, you shall see."

"Thor!"

Both bothers looked over. Fandral was gesticulating from his horse. "Come, the hunt begins!"

"Such a bouncing, bounding creature," Loki said dismally. "His constant energy astonishes me."

"He is a good friend," Thor said.

"He is good entertainment," Loki sneered.

Thor clapped his brother on the shoulder. "Come, hunt with us."

"I think not."

"Brother. Please. You must make more of an effort. We are Princes of Asgard. There are things expected of us. Your time with your tomes is not looked upon with any approval."

"The Nine Realms would shatter, indeed, to have scholar as a King." Loki said, all expression devoid in his tone. "Far better then, dear brother, for you to bring home the pelt of the beast and I to be there with my books."

At Thor's look Loki gave a sad sigh, bowed his head dutifully and followed Thor to the stables. Loki looked like he was being pulled along despite his better judgement.

"You are to join us?" Fandral asked. Thor wasn't certain, but there seemed to be a note of disappointment in the swashbuckler's tone.

"Yes, I am to join you," Loki sighed, the tone of disappointment belatedly clear, if not flaunted in his response.

"Jolly good," Fandral said in a bright manner. "Should be a good showing today, do you not agree Thor?"

Thor smiled as he spurred his horse into life. "Indeed. We'll go out to the Hoddmímir Valley and follow the tree line. The stórr hinds should be out in great numbers this season."

The party of thirty riders, warriors and servants mounted their horses and rode out into the forest. Thor, Loki, Fandral and Volstagg remained level at the front of the group. It was usual; Thor and Loki had known Fandral from childhood. The son of a lesser Lord, he was nonetheless a great and noble warrior and Thor was proud to call him friend. Volstagg was the son of another noble family, but had not come to the palace until he was of an age to train. Still, the four had spent the last decade training together, and the bonds between them had grown strong.

Between Thor, Fandral and Volstagg at least. Loki always seemed to be off at the side. With them, but not part of them. Thor blamed the time Loki spent in with his tomes. He redoubled his silent conviction that he would pull Loki back into the world of war and heroes, for his brother's own good.

As they rode, Loki pulled out a blade and twirled it between his fingers. Thor recognised that as one of his brother's few tells; it was a silent, nervous habit.

Volstagg turned and smirked slightly, for an entirely different reason. "Still playing with your knives, Loki? Will you not honour us with a display of magic? I was looking forward to seeing you set yourself on fire again."

Thor and the others laughed. It had been a moment to remember, as Loki's magic had grown out of control and lit up his tunic. He had always been a talented shape-shifter, but the more combative magic seemed entirely beyond him.

In the face of the hunting party's laughter, Loki bent his head slightly. "Clearly I still have much to learn, Volstagg."

"Let me know when you have mastered it enough to cook a suckling pig. Then maybe we will have found use for you."

Thor laughed at Volstagg's gibe and they pulled slightly ahead. They approached the Hoddmímir Valley, much frequented by stórr hinds. The leaders of the group stopped, still just in the trees with a view out onto the planes.

Alas, the valley today seemed to be empty. It frustrated Thor, to have ridden all this way and end up returning to the palace with nothing to show for it. It would make him look a fool. Thor waited on his horse, glaring out, as the rest of the party came level.

"It does not seem the stórrs are particularly active today," Fandral commented.

"We do not return without a kill," Thor said.

Fandral exchanged a look with Volstagg. "I knew it. Must we remain out here for days like last time? I do not relish spending tonight under the sky. Rain seems likely."

"Then run back to the palace like some high society darling and spend a warm night with your wenches. I will not return without a kill."

Fandral backed down immediately. "I remain with you as long as you wish, my Prince."

There was a silence as they waited for signs of prey. Even Thor privately believed that their luck may be better elsewhere. But he had never returned after a hunt without a kill. That record would not be broken today.

One rider jumped down and stalked forward. "Hold fast!" Thundered Thor. "Fool, you will give warning to our prey!"

The rider seemed to ignore him. Thor exclaimed his disgust and turned to his brother. Thor had learnt from experience to find out who people were before venting his anger. He enquired of his brother.

"His name is Hogan," Loki explained. "He is the son of Lord Hakan of Skógr."

Thor snorted. "It surprises me not. The people of Skógr are hardly renowned for their great intelligence."

Thor didn't catch Loki's mocking glance sideways at the time, though later it would play on his mind.

The man had bent down and was bushing the ground with his fingers. He turned now and Thor was struck by the man's calm but stolid expression.

"There were hinds here. But they left, on mass. No more than an hour ago. They were spooked and took flight."

"How do you know?" Thor demanded.

There was suddenly a vague suggestion of a smirk. "Do they not teach the great Princes how to track?"

"To track, yes. Not to see what is not there."

Again, just out the corner of his eye, he saw Loki's little smile and it infuriated him even more. Thor jumped down and stalked past the black clad Hogan with a dark glare. He looked around. Now it did seem clear that there were many tracks in the dirt, made soft from last night's rain. They all seemed to be heading in the same direction, the entire herd stampeding.

Thor's eyes gazed out into the distance. Stórr hinds ran incredibly fast, making them worthy prey, but they were not spooked by the mere snap of a twig. Thor, in a characteristic manner that he himself did not recognise, but all around him dreaded, turned instead to look for what might have startled them.

He walked a little while, retracing where the stampede of panicky animals had started. He vaguely heard talking behind him, Loki and Fandral leapt down from their horses to follow Thor. Thor knew it like he knew the ground was beneath his feet, that Loki and Fandral would always follow. That is why he would be King.

Behind a boulder, near a tree which had grown a little way into the valley, away from the forest, he found the mangled remains of a hind. Something had torn it apart.

"Oh. Lovely," Fandral said damply. Loki walked forward and used his knife to cut through a bone. "And now Loki's playing with the corpse. This day gets better and better."

Hogan approached now. Thor dismissed him, "Go back and wait with the horses."

Loki held up the bone, it looked to be a rib. "These teeth marks are large. Very large." Loki looked around. "It is not wise to linger here, brother. We should mount the horses and take off down the river. That is where the hinds have gone."

"What creature would you say did this?" Thor asked, ignoring the suggestion.

Loki shrugged. "Bigger than a Panthera. Smaller than an adult-male Bilgesnipe. Nothing that we would wish to-"

Thor looked around. It sounded like good hunt indeed. "You are too quick to run from a fight, Loki."

"You are too fast to run towards one. I avoid that which brings me no advantage."

Thor turned to scold his younger brother for his cowardice. But before he could turn to vent his temper, he felt the ground shudder. He turned again, his eyes narrowed against the sun. Just in the distance, made difficult to see by the direct light, a black shape had moved.

All eyes were upon the shape now. Behind him, he felt the sudden nervousness of the horses. They were beginning to snort and stamp, pulling back slightly against the hold the servants and riders.

The shape in the distance reared, standing high. There was a bellowing roar, before it dropped down onto all fours, clearly intent on a meal.

Next to him, Hogan, who had ignored Thor's order, drew a mace from his belt. "Bjǫrn beast," the solemn man muttered.

"Bjǫrn beast?" Fandral asked. "But I thought they hunted in pairs?"

There was a deafening roar behind them, back where the riders were. Several horses panicked and bolted, one running straight into the second creature, which fell upon it and ripped it apart.

"Ah. There it is." Fandral said.

The party scattered, many running right to avoid the closer beast, the rest heading back the way they came. Volstagg called out for them to stand fast, but his own horse reared violently and threw him to the ground and took off. "Come back, you great stupid beast!"

Thor was already wrenching his axe from his hip, preparing himself for the beast in the distance.

"Thor!" Volstagg shouted behind him. "Thor, we've lost the others!" Volstagg called.

The entire party had fled, leaving Volstagg standing in the trees.

"Let them fly, the cowards! This will be our day of triumph!"

"I refuse to be snacked upon by a wild bjǫrn beast for the sake of a pelt!" Volstagg objected. There was another roar. Volstagg turned to see the large black beast, now finished with the horse, turn on Volstagg.

As Thor focused his eyes on the first bjǫrn, he felt Loki pulling on his arm harshly. "We must go to the aid of Volstagg! Leave that one, it has no interest in us yet, but its mate is closing in on-"

Thor threw his arm back. "You two go to Volstagg! This one's mine!"

Thor bellowed and ran straight at the bjǫrn. It looked up, sensed the incoming Thor as a threat to its meal of hind, reared high and charged. It was large, not as large as a bilgesnipe, but it's equal in savagery. His claws were as long as his arm. Its teeth were jagged and lethal, even to Aesir if they were not careful. Its hide was as thick as armour.

Thor gave a feral grin, used a rock to leap high and yelled as he bought his axe down hard on the bjǫrn's massive head.

He heard the satisfying crunch as bone spilt. The beast reared in pain and Thor was thrown over it, landing hard on the ground. He rolled quickly as it turned and stamped down, its claws digging into the earth where his head would have been.

He walked backwards, panting, adrenaline coursing through his body. He heard shouts and yells in the distance as his friends battled their own bjǫrn, but they meant nothing to him. Odin forgive him, back then, he did not care. Back then, in his youth, he just did not care as long as he won.

Thor ducked as a paw swept through the air with a horrible sound. He planted in the blade into the bear's stomach and kicked the handle down hard, driving the metal between ribs. The beast roared and blood drenched his hands. He pulled up, creating a tear, pulling out and driving it back in again.

He missed the paw as it swung back. It caught him in the side and he was thrown across the ground. He landed in mud and grass. His axe was gone; the bear had bitten through it. The handle lay in pieces whilst the blade was still embedded in the fur chest.

The black hulking shape growled as it stalked towards him. Thor, all his father's commands now forgotten, all the rules now no longer important, raised his hand. As the bear stampeded, Thor waited, all faith in that one moment where…

The handle of Mjölner was suddenly in his gasp. He ducked as the bear leapt and as it flew over him, he struck the metal blade. The force of the blow made the metal shot through the creature's body, cutting through everything in its path; muscle, bone and nerves.

The bear landed dead just beyond him. He shouted a dark noise of triumph.

Then he turned to see his friends still fighting the second bjǫrn. He sprinted back to them, jumped and hit the creature squarely on the head, crushing the skull instantaneously. Fandral and Volstagg picked themselves up.

"Almost had it," Volstagg said, his clothes torn and a fair few cuts littering his arms.

Thor snorted his disbelief. Fandral caught sight of Mjölner and gave him a cautious look, as anyone would do with a short tempered man who wielded an indomitable hammer made from the metal of a dying star. "I thought King Odin had made his wishes clear on-"

"I just saved all our lives. Father has no cause to punish me for that." Thor snapped. He turned to Hogun, who looked as calm as ever.

Fandral, well versed in everything Thor from his habits to his moods, stepped in. "Quite an arm Hogun has. Managed to get a few good blows in there."

Thor nodded reluctantly. "You fought along side my friends? Then you are a friend of mine."

Hogan gave a curt nod, but seemed silently appreciative. "Thank you, Prince."

Thor looked around. It was just himself, Volstagg, Fandral, Hogun and his brother who had remained. The rest of the hunting party had scattered. Thor walked to his brother who was nursing a deep graze in his forearm.

"Are you injured?" he asked gruffly.

He watched as Loki pulled a brown root from his mouth and pushed it into the cut. "Nothing that will not heal, brother." He wrapped a length of cloth around his arm. "I was not paying attention, I fear and the creature managed a blow."

"Not paying attention," Fandral scoffed. "You barely seemed here at all."

"My mind was elsewhere."

Thor turned back to the beast. "We ride back to the palace. When we get back, make sure some servants come back to remove the pelts. These are trophies I wish to keep."

"Need we go back so soon?" Loki asked.

Thor turned to see Loki rise from the tree stump he had been sitting on. He did so with a slight wince. "Let us go via the river. It would not do to return in such a state." Loki gave Thor a pointed look and said under his breath so the others would not overhear, "Think of mother, Thor."

Thor nodded slightly. "Yes, we will go to the river first. Then ride back to the palace."

It was when they had finished bathing and were making ready to ride back that Thor noticed what the others had alluded to. Loki's eyes were unfocused. He seemed dazed and unresponsive. As Hogun began to speak to him, he snapped back almost immediately.

And again it happened. As they rode along the road out of the forests, Loki was staring ahead as though in a waking dream. It bothered Thor as the expression did not diminish over time. Thor glanced over again. "Brother, you are much distracted. Why?"

Loki eyes cleared as he turned to Thor. "No reason. Forgive me. Did you wish to speak to me?"

"Are you giving thought to my… concerns?" Thor asked carefully.

"The Lady Witless, you mean?" Fandral asked from the back of the group.

Thor heard the snort from Volstagg. The large man then turned to Hogan. "Our prince here is in great danger you see, of being tied with the knot resistant to steel. _Marriage_."

An almost tangible shudder passed through the warriors. Thor caught Loki's silent roll of the eyes. "Loki scoffs at us," he said darkly. Perhaps it was not the wisest idea to mock those who you hoped to aid you, but Thor had no doubts in Loki's love for him.

"Loki scoffs," Volstagg said primly, "because Lady Cecelia comes to marry the heir to the throne and wastes not her time upon the _scholar_."

"She may keep her time to herself," Loki said coolly. "I have no want for her attentions." He turned now to Thor. "I have thought upon the matter. Take comfort, there will be no marriage."

As they rounded the bend in the path, they came upon the ridge and Thor's favourite view. The view from the palace from the planes rivalled that from the Bifrost. But from here, you could see Bifrost in the further distance. It had struck Thor as a truer image of Asgard.

There was a shout in the far distance. As though that shout had made them immediately on the lookout for something wrong with their perfect image, Thor could suddenly see smoke circling up over the tree tops. It was coming from the palace.

Without a word, he yelled a spur to his horse, forcing it into a canter down the hill. As they neared the walls to the palace, Thor pulled hard on the reigns, steering the horse to the left and following the wall round. He had seen where the smoke was coming from.

As the horse clattered into the stable, Thor jumped down and sprinting up the way he had Loki had come hours before. The gallery was on fire.

Thor called out to the servants. "Why do you stand and do nothing!" he bellowed.

As the servants looked at him fearfully, Halfdanr was quickly at their side. "My Prince, we cannot," he said breathlessly.

He had held the position as Keeper of the King's Estate since Odin first took up his reign. The servants saw him more as their king than Odin. After all, King Odin did not stalk the servant's quarters looking for wrongdoing. Whereas Halfdanr took great pleasure in finding every little blunder. The man was a tyrant.

Despite all this, Thor paid his grudging respects to Halfdanr. He had kept the palace in working order for thousands of years.

"Why not?" he demanded.

Halfdanr was a head shorter than Thor, but he turned his dark, beady eyes on him with a strength and air of a man who knew that, secretly, you were still scared of him. Thor remembered his boyhood and being chased out of orchards and maids rooms by this man.

"There is some devilry here, Prince," Halfdanr said. And even now he managed to make 'Prince' sound like 'rapscallion'. "The flames are too intense, too focused. We cannot put it out with manpower alone. We must wait for the skies, a storm is soon to hit."

Thor waited until Halfdanr had walked away before making a silent noise of frustration. Fandral, Hogan and Volstagg were watching the fire with dull horror, like the rest of the crowd. Helpless to do anything while the building burnt. The doors inside the gallery had been shut; water had been doused along the proceeding corridors and sand bags piled against the doors. There was hope that fire would not spread to the main buildings of the palace via the long corridor into the entrance hall.

Thor turned now to his brother, and started slightly as the image became somehow wrong.

Loki's large eyes, like everyone else's, were fixed on the fire. But Thor didn't see horror or sadness. Only gentle joy and enraptured attention. Eyes that he had never seen Loki cast upon anything before in his life. Eyes that should have been reserved for a lover.

Thor knew now. Thor knew now, that Loki had his eyes that day upon what had been his only love. His darling, Mischief.

The fire as brief, but powerful. The heavens had opened and rain had hammered upon them. They had used this and a chain of buckets to finally douse the flames. Then a miserable inventory was done. In the end, only four paintings were saved and these had only been because they had not been on display, sealed behind a heavy door to a storage area.

Of the treasures of Vili, none were recovered. The heat had been powerful enough to distort metal. Of the gems many were badly damaged.

While Thor was solemn on the loss of Asgard's greatest works, he could not help but be grateful that any suggestion of an arranged marriage would now be put on hold. Without a dowry, the law was on his side. Besides, no respecting Lord, particularly one like Odin's brother Vili, would offer a granddaughter without suitable dowry.

The delegation had left not long afterwards and Thor had not been sorry to see them go. He had tired of the lady hanging on his arm with a vacant stare. All had returned to normal before even a day had passed after they had left. However, all was not forgotten of the day before. Thor and Loki were both called before Odin whose eye rested first upon Thor, but settled finally on Loki.

"My sons. Troubling news has reached me of yesterday's events."

Mjölner rested in the vaults, along with the casket and other treasures. Odin had forbidden Thor's use of it until he had completed his training and become, in the eyes of the law, a man. Until then, Thor wielded and axe. Or had, until the great hulking animal had destroyed it.

Thor ground his back teeth at the idea that he was to be punished for returning a hero. He had presented the bjǫrn pelts to the Lady Cecelia as a token of respect and a hope that it would at least mark his commiserations at the loss of their treasure.

The second to his mother, who had been wonderfully delighted and Thor believed the pelt was to become a coat. Thor had done everything he had been expected to as a Prince and now he was to be scolded by his father for it. Thor felt his temper rise.

Odin cast an imperious hand towards a man in servant uniform. "This servant tells to me what he saw in the Hall of Art. He tells me he saw Prince Loki, youngest of my sons, casting magic and setting the place where the Vili treasure stood ablaze."

The realisation came upon Thor that his father's ill mood was not entirely directed at him. He gave a great laugh of derision and, admittedly, relief. "Then the servant lies!" Thor said with a laughing bellow. "Or is indeed blind. Loki was with us on the hunt the whole time."

Odin looked sceptical. "You usually avoid the hunt, Loki."

Loki gave a curt nod. "Thor persuaded me, Father."

"He did not wish to go. But I remained him it was his place as Prince." Thor said, unashamedly proud of his actions. Not only was he helping his brother become the warrior he could be, but he had also prevented him of being suspected of this deed.

Odin, however, still looked doubtful. "You can be sure of that?"

Thor was incredulous. "Of course!"

"It is a tale so unbelievable; I am inclined to take it as truth."

"Would you then believe a fish had done the deed?" Thor asked with a sneer.

Odin's eyes flashed with anger, but his voice remained solemn. "What would the servant gain from such a lie?"

Loki stepped forward now. "Father," he said softly. "I do not know what I am supposed to have done. I was on the hunt. And my magic, though it improves daily, is not of the level to cause such a-"

"He sets himself a blaze more often than his target," snapped Thor. "The servant lies and does great shame to himself and my brother."

"I know what I saw," the servant piped up now.

Thor turned on the man. His anger boiled over. To think such a creature as this, with no title, no honour, nothing should dare to accuse his brother! "You bring ignominy down upon my brother with such accusations! You should be beaten for these crimes!"

"Such punishments are dealt on my instructions, boy!" Odin said, his voice rose over his son's.

Thor raised his hand to point at the servant. "Then deal it, father! Do not allow such a peasant as this to decry our family's honour!"

It was then Thor caught sight of the slender, quaking frame of the other servant here to act as witness to the arson. The large, deep brown eyes of the maid Dalla turned up to him, full and fearful. Thor felt slight shame to have been of such temper in front of the small woman.

He smiled gently down upon her. "Dear Dalla. You have served our mother for many seasons now and you now serve us both well. You are here because you witnessed the villain at work?"

The maid nodded, a sob caught in her throat.

"Please, tell me what you saw."

The large brown eyes flickered around the room desperately. "I... I saw..." She swallowed and shook her head. "Forgive me, my Prince. I did not see their face, but I know it was not Prince Loki."

"There," Thor said. "If you will not believe your own sons, then believe the servants you seem to place such faith in. The maid did not see Loki, this peasant boot boy did. And who will you believe?"

Odin piercing gaze rested on the maid who returned it fearfully. Then he turned back to his sons. "I shall take these conflicting statements into consideration. It is not then the time to make judgement, as the truth seems unclear. However, there is a matter which can be dealt with now. Thor, you summoned Mjölner to you, despite my instructions that it is not yours to call upon until you come of age."

"We were being attacked." Thor growled.

"By beasts. Beasts which would not have pursued had you fled. They were after the horses and the hinds, you were secondary in their minds. Not every situation calls upon a battle to the death, my son."

Thor gave a sound of disgust, but did not reply. His father would have him play the court darling, not the warrior he was created and by the will of the fates destined to be. Odin was a tired, old man who no longer heard the drums of battle and would have the same life for his heir.

"I no longer wish to hear these accusations and tired sermons," Thor said, throwing up a hand. "I bid you dismiss my brother and I from your sight, lest you wish to accuse us of anything more."

Odin looked like he was about to lose his temper, but calmed before the storm broke. He made a gesture and as Thor left the hall, Loki in tow, he turned back to the throne. "What of this lying servant?"

"It is no business of yours, Thor," Odin said warningly.

Thor would have rounded back for another argument had Loki not laid a hand on Thor's shoulder. "Peace, brother. Let us not push the matter further."

They were in the corridors, well away from the throne room before Thor gave vent to his anger. He roared and slammed a pillar with his fist. The stonework cracked. Something in his hand cracked as well but he did not care. He pulled his fist back and hit again and again until the stone cracked and spilt, dropping away from the pillar.

Thor stood, panting, glaring at the fallen masonry. A long silence filled the corridor.

"Better, brother?" Loki soothed.

"No!"

"A pity. Though there are plenty of pillars in Asgard. I am sure you will tire ere we run out."

Thor rounded on the slender, gently smiling man. "How do you remain so calm?! Father stands before you and accuses you of a crime and you act as though this is all some great joke!"

"It is all a joke, Thor," Loki lulled. He stepped forward and brushed Thor's fringe out of his face. "It is all a game. It is a war to be won or lost, to gain prizes or learn lessons. Should you take out your temper on inanimate objects, you are losing the battle." Loki pulled Thor's hand to his face. "Come now, you have broken your finger."

"It will heal," Thor mumbled.

"But why endue pain when a remedy is so easy?"

"Not every situation should be avoided." Thor said.

Loki looked up, a picture of weary incredulity. "We're talking about a broken bone, Thor. Do try not to make everything some moral instruction. Come on now and try not to be such a bore."

Thor sat by the fireplace in Loki's quarters as the man fussed over his concoction made of roots and herbs. Thor did not care for it, but he had to admit that this fondness Loki had for such domestic activities was clearly useful.

He let himself smile. "Still, the fire allowed me to avoid such an unsuitable match."

"That's right," Loki purred. "Focus on the positives. There is no need for such anger."

"Anger is in my blood."

"Father's too. He has clearly learnt to restrain it, through time and experience. Thus you will too."

"I say things. In the heat of my ire that I do not truly believe."

"You are indeed a great ox sometimes," Loki said with a smile. "Those who love you, forgive you." He passed Thor a small bowl of red liquid. "This will dull the pain and help the healing along."

"To your health," Thor said, before drinking it down. He gagged slightly. "It tastes foul!"

Loki chuckled. "Ah. Forgot to warn you about that."

"No you did not," Thor grumbled darkly. "Trickster."

xxx

Thor was in a far better mood by the evening's banquet. The kitchens had served the meat from the bjǫrn beasts, giving Thor and his companions a chance to retell their story of triumph once again. As the evening wore on, he talked long with Fandral, Volstagg and Hogan, who had become quickly accepted into the group. As Fandral laughed boisterously at his own joke, Thor's eyes travelled to the end of the table where Loki was alone, reading a book and playing half-heartedly with his food.

Thor's eyes focused a little more. No. Loki was not reading. He was pretending to be reading. Again, Thor saw that dull, abstracted gaze, as though Loki was not really there. The silent worry gripped him again, but was quickly forgotten as behind Loki he caught a flash of material.

He looked up to see Dalla gazing over at him carefully, one foot out of the room. She looked down immediately as he met her eye, smiled gently and looked up again. Thor felt the smile forming on his face without knowing he was doing it. Dalla gave him one last look and ducked out.

Thor looked back at Fandral, who gave him a thoroughly indecent smile and a wink. Thor excused himself from the table and left.

xxx

The air was hot and heavy. The fire place crackled and the bed moved in time. Thor grunted, hugging Dalla closer to him as he shuddered and released. Then he relaxed as the glow moved through him. He felt the figure beneath him, gasping and stoking his arms. He rolled off the small woman, catching his breath.

He felt a hand on his chest as Dalla pressed herself into his frame. They lay in silence for a long while, before she sat up. "I should return to the kitchens."

Thor reached out and pulled her back into his arms. "Stay a little while longer."

"I cannot," Dalla said. "Halfdanr will be in such a temper."

"Then direct him to me," Thor scoffed. "I will take a whip to him. I do as I please and it pleases me for you to remain here with me." He kissed the back of her neck. "Does it not please you also?"

"It does," she sighed, leaning back into his arms. "It does. I would do and say anything for you, my Prince."

Thor reached out and stroked her back gently. Something about her tone reached him, though he initially misunderstood. "You please me well already."

"I said what I said to do honour to you."

Thor frowned. "Forgive me, I do not…"

There was a long silence before the small voice said, "That I did not see the face of the arsonist."

No more than an hour later, Thor strode into Loki quarters, not surprised to find him still awake and bent over his books, picked his brother up and rammed him into a pillar. He felt the violence that he did this with rattle the thin body but he cared little. "You set fire to the gallery!"

"Let go of-"

"Such mindless destruction, what was your intention?"

"You're hurting-"

Thor pulled him back and rammed him again back against the pillar. "And I defended you! I put my honour and integrity on the line for you and you look at me and assert your innocence! What _serpent_ do I have for a brother?"

Green eyes stared up at him, wide and sorrow filled. "I... I did this for you, Thor."

Thor glared at the young man, barely out of his boyhood. "What is this?"

"The delegation have left, your would-be betrothed departs with them. Is this not what you wanted brother? You asked me to help you. I would never do anything against you, I honour you. I love you. I did this for you."

Thor let the tunic go. He realised his error in the same moment he realised that by this action he had inspired this course in his brother. They were tied, now, by this secret crime. "Speak not on this. Ever."

"Of course not brother," Loki said dutifully.

Thor thought often on that day. In recent months, he had wondered if he had turned round as he walked away, if he would have seen a small smile on Loki face.

Thor paused at the door and said, the thought only just occurring to him. "Did you not... To destroy all that the gallery housed. How..." Thor wanted to ask how the man had done this, but he did not wish to become any further interlaced with this crime. Instead, he just said pitifully, "You spent hours in that gallery."

Loki shrugged. "It will take something far greater than those canvases to move me. Life is only beautiful when it burns."

Loki had not been looking at art burning, with those wide, love filled eyes. But he had been looking at his mischief. Loki had been looking at his art work. His art, which he considered greater than anything the Nine Realms had to show him.

"You speak of Asgard's greatest masterpieces!"

"I'm not heartless Thor. Even I shudder at destroying great art." Loki looked dismissive. "I shall let you know if I should shudder. But it has not happened today. Nor I believe will it happen any day. It's all a game, Thor. A joke that I will never be the target of, because there is nothing you can show me to convince me it's worth _being_ the joke, than _telling_ the joke. Do you understand?"

Thor didn't. Even to this day, he didn't understand. Thor knew he never would.

But Thor did at least understand this – that Loki had finally found something, other than his great game, to love. Loki had finally become the target of someone's joke and that someone was apparently Tony.

It wasn't that Loki had described Tony as great art. It wasn't that in retrospect, so much of Loki's old list of his future love had found its equal in Tony. For Thor, it was the gaze Loki had given his chaos and destruction. That heart enveloping look, as though he saw everything that he had ever wanted out on display, just for him.

Thor had a feeling, no more. That there was in his brother some fixed point from which he was steering. And while everything around him was as a ship in a maelstrom, that one fixed point kept him moving forward.

Once upon a time, that point that been his chaos. Now Loki's world seemed to have shifted onto a man. And that scared Thor.

Thor did not fear the intensity of his brother's passion, though it was great. He did not fear what his love for the boy might make him do. Thor feared what would happen when that fixed point was removed from him as it was back in Asgard when his heritage was revealed to him. When it turned out that Loki _was_ the joke. And had been all along.

Tony frowned. "I don't get it."

Thor sighed loudly. "I said you would not. Do not pay me heed. It was merely a... a point where I had seen Loki... Find himself. I saw Loki find that point in his life from which to steer and I see it again. He has chosen you over his chaos and over me. You are his new… guiding star."

"And... That means he loves me?"

Thor shrugged. "As much as a man as he can possibly love."

"Wow. You just give with one hand and take with the other, don't you."

"I'm sorry."

Tony thought for a second. "How long ago was all that?"

"Many, many years."

"How old where you?" Tony considered the question and added, "You know, in human years."

Thor thought long and hard about this. "Darcy," he muttered. He turned and called up to the top floor of the house. "My love?" he called. Jane's face appeared over the banister.

"Me and Bruce were just having a chat about how stupid we think you are, Tony." she said with a smile.

Tony smiled as he heard a choking noise from upstairs. "No that's not what I said!" Bruce called.

Thor asked, "What age is Darcy?"

"Uhm… twenty I think. I know she's not supposed to be drinking, so yeah. Probably twenty."

Thor turned back to Tony. "We would have been around that age. But in Asgardian years, it is significantly older."

"Why?" Jane asked Thor.

"It is not important."

"To be exact, Thor," Jane called down, "Darcy is precisely _too young_ for Tony."

"That is not why I'm asking!" Tony objected. _Jeez, what do people take me for?_

_A lecherous, forty year old playboy._

_Good point._

"So you were young," Tony clarified, wanting desperate to reroute the conversation. "Do you think Loki had an ulterior-"

"Yes."

"Whoah. Okay. What?"

Thor looked bitter. "The Vili treasure."

"Oh the… dowry. Thingy. What about it?"

"The Blade of Borr, my father's father's weapon. Loki traded it with an elfish merchant. A Dark Elf, at a time my people were at war with them."

"For what?"

Thor shrugged. "It is all guess work, Tony. I cannot even know for certain. But the blade, which everyone believed to have been destroyed in that fire, appeared several decades later in the elfin lands. As I know now Loki started the fire, I only assume."

"His clone created it."

"Yes."

"And you didn't realise that at the time?"

"No one knew he could do it," Thor said, his tone desperate and apparently trying to make Tony understand. "I believe now he drastically played down how advanced his magic was. I believe he deliberately pretended to be less talented. I… perhaps I think too harshly of him. Perhaps I… I am wrong. I want to be wrong. I'd give anything to be mistaken of my brother's character."

Tony felt pity for his friend, while simultaneously loving his trickster god more and more. Odd feeling.

"Well, he put one over on you. A few more in the centuries to come. Probably a few hundred more. And some you probably don't even know about yet. Or will ever."

"Tony."

"What? I'm dating him, I'm allowed to be proud of him." _Even if he's an arrogant little shit._ "Don't look so glum."

**A/N: Periodic table.**

**77-8-7-25**  
**77 - Ir**  
**8 - O**  
**7 - N**  
**25 - Mn**

**Ironmn**

**Let's face it - only Bruce would ever get that. :)**


	55. Chapter 55: Chess

"_How wonderful for you. Now you can rest easy knowing that Tony is all safe and sound and loved. I hope you feel better now, for allowing one of your precious mortals to be used so shamefully."_

_"And even you shudder at the idea of destroying great art. I've heard that before. I remember where and when I last heard that. And I remember the look on your face. It's exactly how you look when you look upon Tony. Your great art. You love him."_

Tony pressed a key on his light pad. The footage zipped forward by a few seconds. He reached out from his sprawled position on the sofa and grabbed his beer bottle, taking a long drink before pressing another key.

_"I bound him to me to destroy you and to re-enter Asgard. And I will destroy him, Thor. I will take from him everything he thinks he is and leave him with nothing. Art is only beautiful when it burns. I will destroy him before you, there was no other reason to keep him."_

_"Loki!"_

_"Oh, and the sex is incredible."_

Tony tapped the light pad again.

_"I bound him to me to destroy you and to re-enter Asgard. And I will destroy him, Thor. I will take from him everything he thinks he is and leave him with nothing."_

Tap.

_"I bound him to me to destroy you and to re-enter Asgard. And I will destroy him, Thor. I will take from him everything he thinks he is and leave him with nothing."_

"Sir, there's a guest in the lab."

"Turn the screen over to the news."

"Very wise, sir."

NBC news popped up on the light screen as the door to the lab opened. "Ah, there you are, my pretty one."

"Here I am," Tony agreed dully.

Loki's face appeared over him. A hand reached out and stroked a long finger down his cheek. "And what has my boy been up to today?"

"The usual. Designed a new type of satellite. Launched it. Had a chicken wing eating competition with Bruce."

"Really?"

"Well, if you ask him, he'll tell you it was lunch, not a competition. But I think that's just because he lost."

"All that today?"

"Well, I'd been meaning to launch it a while ago, but I held back because I know SHIELD gets a little tetchy about that. Now they've suspended me, I figured it was the best way to piss them off."

"Good boy."

"Thank you."

_Good boy. Like I'm a dog._ Loki was petting and stroking him now and if he kept it up, then Tony's tail would be wagging.

_Yep, I said it._

"Where is the mon- where is Bruce now?"

"Heading back to New York for a yoga session and to get some things from his apartment."

"Ah."

"Except not really. SHIELD's called him in. He's a really awful liar."

"Going back in to report?" Loki asked innocently.

Tony smacked the petting hand away. "Don't try to manipulate me. You're not going to plant the idea that Bruce is just here to spy on me."

Loki gave a small tilt of the head and a beaming smile. "Sounds as though the idea is already there. Good."

Tony threw the god a nasty look and stood. "Jane and Thor were here yesterday. They reminded me about the wedding. It's next weekend. They say I have to go. Argh. I hate weddings. Are you going?"

Loki snorted.

"Were you invited?"

"No."

Tony shrugged. "Then I'm not going either. I don't see why you should get out of it and I can't. What do you want to do?"

"Shall we play a game?"

"What sort of game?"

"Chess?"

Tony laughed. Then raised his eyebrows. "Oh. You're serious. Erm, okay. Sure."

Tony lost the first game.

"This is a stupid game."

"Don't be such a child, Tony." Loki's fingers tugged gently on the short hairs at the back of Tony's neck. They were sitting on the bed, the chess board between them, Loki lounging on his side, draped out like some Hollywood femme fatal. Tony just sat cross legged on the other side of the board.

"You are gifted beyond doubt, but you lack... patience."

"That's why the game is stupid. You shouldn't be allowed an hour for a move."

Tony watched dismally as Loki began replacing the pieces on the chess board. Loki had a point. It wasn't that Tony was bad at chess. As a child, he had been something of a prodigy - or would have been, if chess hadn't become the battlefield.

Howard Stark had been very keen that his son mastered chess. Tony supposed Howard had been of that era. Maybe the man had some dream of Tony becoming the next Bobby Fischer, Tony didn't know.

Young Tony hadn't cared why. Chess had become... something bitter. Like the love of piano can be spoilt by an overzealous parent insisting on practice. So chess had become associated in Tony's mind with anxiety and the sense he would never, could never, impress his father. No matter how many games he won.

So he had started throwing them. Deliberately missing wins. Deliberately sacrificing pieces until eventually after hours of argument, Howard had put away the board and Tony hadn't played again.

"Tony."

"Hum. Yeah?"

"If you keep thinking such dark thoughts, we shall stop playing and I shall make you cum."

Tony smiled and shook his head. "I promise, no dark thoughts."

"You were disappearing into some unhappy memory. I do not want to see that again."

"Scout's honour."

Loki flipped the board. Tony had white. White has the opening move. He moved his pawn to queens four. Loki, as he had a tendency to do, immediately moved his knight out to knight's bishop three. They exchanged a few moves until Loki's hand stopped, hovering over his king's bishop. He had a clear line and could take Tony's queen's bishop.

Instead, he moved a pawn. "Do you want to know what games such as these tell an observer?"

"That you love the sound of your own voice would be top of that list," Tony muttered. His brow was furrowed slightly, not sure why Loki had given up the opportunity. It's not like it had been a trap, Tony honestly hadn't spotted it until the hovering pale hand had rested over the black bishop.

"You're not a bad player. In fact, I think you could beat me if you really wanted to. But you are so... impatient. You are reckless, you put your pieces in jeopardy because your focus becomes too single minded on other targets."

Loki's queen slid across the board and captured his wandering rook.

_Fuck._

"You play out of retaliation and vengeance rather than a more... proactive mind-set. You do not play far enough in advance."

Tony captured Loki's bishop with his knight and before his hand had left the board, Loki's rook had taken Tony's knight.

Tony forced himself to stop and look at the board.

"You do not care enough about pieces, you do not respect what is more valuable and why they should or should not be sacrificed. You treat all pieces equally."

"Welcome to America, baby."

"In consequence, you lose pieces that should have been valued over others."

Tony reached for a pawn, hesitated, and moved his queen back to defend his king.

Loki clucked his tongue slightly and moved his queen. "Check." Tony moved his king to the side, but Loki followed. "Check." Tony moved the piece again. "Check. Check. Check."

"Okay, now you're just fucking with me."

Loki smiled, so innocent and so cheeky. So young and so pretty. It made Tony melt just that little bit more.

Loki moved his queen to flank his king and Tony knew that Loki's knight would be coming into play. So he put a pawn in the way. Loki didn't rise to it - if he had taken the pawn, Tony's remaining knight would have taken his.

The god sat back a bit, taking in the board with an analytical eye. Tony got bored after a minute. "You going to take long?"

"As long as it takes."

Tony sighed and slipped off the bed. He walked past the god, softly running his hand over his shoulder as he passed. He walked out onto the balcony of the bed bedroom and looked out over the sea. It was the perfect afternoon for a little joyride out in the suit, but he wasn't going to piss Loki off. Not when the guy was in such a good mood.

And SHIELD would go crazy. But that was more of a reason to do it than not.

Ventures out in the suit were still a massive point of contention between the pair, but Tony was working on it. He was fairly confident that he would get the god to understand. And the sooner the better.

_I will destroy him, Thor. I will take from him everything he thinks he is and leave him with nothing._

Tony knew Loki had been in liar mode, so the comment didn't bother him at all.

Not at all.

Tony stuck his head back in through the door. "You moved yet or what?"

"Yes."

Tony walked back in and stared at the board. Loki had moved his knight to take the pawn.

Tony looked up at Loki with a frown. Loki looked back blandly.

He sat down, staring at the board, trying to work out what would have made Loki do such a stupid move. Without realizing it, the minutes had ticked by. He heard a vague chuckle and looked up. "Would you like a moment, pet?"

Tony waved the smirking man away. Loki chuckled again and moved to kiss Tony's neck. "I shall get you a drink."

"Coffee," Tony muttered, his focus on the board.

"I won't be long, my pet."

Loki wandered out the room and Tony heard him descending the stairs. A minute later, noise came from the kitchen as he heard him messing around with things in there and apparently having a conversation with Jarvis.

If Tony took the Knight, with his Knight, it left him a move away from a check on Loki. Loki wouldn't be able to retaliate in time, so his only move would be to move the King. But with Tony's queen where it was, it only left Loki one space to move. Then Tony's bishop was in the right place to move forward and capture the King. Tony wins.

So checkmate in two moves.

But.

Loki was an eternal trickster. There had to be something Tony was missing. If only he could think what it was.

Coffee appeared under Tony's nose. "Drink up."

Tony grabbed it and took a few gulps while Loki petted him gently. Petted his pet. Sitting here, drinking coffee, playing a game with Loki. Not inventing. Not flying. Not drinking. Not in the Avengers and not with his friends. Not at a party. Sitting here like a good boy and letting Loki look after him.

_I will destroy him, Thor. I will take from him everything he thinks he is and leave him with nothing._

Tony reached out. Made his decision and moved his piece. Tony ignored the knight and instead moved his bishop back to defend the king.

Loki ran a tender hand down his arm as he reached over, moved his knight and "Check mate."

Tony glared at the black knight with disgust. "Why did you move it when you knew I could have taken it out with a pawn?"

"Why did you not?"

"Because it had to be a trick."

Loki smiled softly. "Not everything's a trick, Tony. But at this point it hardly matters. No one will believe I am not trying to deceive."

"Again."

"No," Loki said, kindly but firmly. "No more games. It is time to retire." Loki put the pieces away delicately as, in the manner of every loser in the world, Tony sat and replayed every move in his head wondering what went wrong.

"I'll kick your ass next time."

"I know you will, my Tony."

Arms wrapped around him, pulling the coffee cup away and nuzzling him gently. "Come on, get undressed."

Tony muttered darkly, still rather sore from the defeat and started pulling off his clothes. "Let me get this straight; you lie by not lying?"

"Oh the joys of being me," Loki purred. There was a slightly more bitter edge in his voice than Tony had been expecting.

Loki helped Tony pull off the remainder of his clothes and made short work of his own. He pulled them both into the shower and they washed. And still Tony was replaying the match over and over in his head. It had been such a stupid defeat and one that he really shouldn't have fallen for.

"Genius does not give one inherent abilities in strategy, love."

"I should be smarter than this."

"You think yourself less intelligent because you lost a game?" Loki gave him an incredulous but gently smiling look. "_One_ game? It's not Ragnarök, Tony."

"I shouldn't have lost."

Loki sighed in an oddly reproving fashion as he turned off the water and dried Tony and himself off. "Such an amazing man, brought low over such a petty thing," Loki breathed.

"You should talk. I'm a bad loser and you're up to your neck in sibling rivalry."

"We make quite a pair, I grant you. But when I gambled everything and lost everything, I did not sulk."

"You threw yourself into the void!"

"That can hardly be described as sulking."

"Oh I _beg_ to differ."

Tony had barely realized they had made it to the bed. Loki had shimmered into his night clothes while Tony pulled on a shirt over his underwear. But he was thrumming now with warmth and love and closeness. And, admittedly, coffee. Which was as lethal to Tony as giving a five year old sugar.

"You don't want to play?"

Loki eyes were suddenly sparking with life. "Very much so, but I feared you seemed to be in a less than amorous mood."

Tony smiled. "Isn't it your job to get me in an amorous mood?"

"Is it?"

"Turn me on, turn me off. Just your little toy."

Loki's look flashed suddenly uncertain, but Tony only saw it because he knew his god so well. For anyone else, it wouldn't have registered. And Loki covered it up so well, the easy, confident air already back. "Such a curious thing to say. Does my little boy want me to turn him on to play?"

_I will destroy him, Thor. I will take from him everything he thinks he is and leave him with nothing._

Tony took Loki's hand and sucked Loki's thumb into his mouth. He swirled his tongue around the digit, pulled back, and nibbled his away down to the fleshy part and bit, slightly too hard.

He smiled as he heard Loki's enjoyable hiss. _Who's turning who on now?_

Loki leaned up in the bed and pulled Tony's head down. Mouth's locked and tongues danced with a warm, wet sound. Tony moved closer until he could feel Loki's heat. It was almost a dance, and they both knew the steps so well. Tony stood, pulling Loki with him, his eyes almost closed, and swayed into Loki's arms. Hands travelled down, pulled off his t-shirt and pushed his boxers down over his hips. They fell to the floor and Tony stepped out of them.

Blackness. Being turned inside out. The sudden stop.

They were home.

Tony let himself fall back, the certain knowledge that he would either fall onto the bed, or Loki would catch him. When he landed, he crawled backwards until he was in the middle of the round bed. Loki followed, his clothes shimmering away, prowling forward like a panther.

"From zero to fuck in one minute," Tony murmured. "I love this."

Loki mouth lowered and a tongue circled round Tony's nipple, sending little shivers through Tony's frame.

"Play with me," Tony breathed.

"You know I will."

Loki gave one last fond suck before sliding off the bed. Tony let his arms collapse, his head falling back into the bed with a long exhale. "Man, I'm just buzzing. I feel like I'm high." He paused. "Probably the coffee. Not that I'd know what being high felt like, of course."

Loki gave him a thoroughly disbelieving look.

Tony gave him the finger.

The god returned briefly to tie Tony down by his wrists and ankles before walking back to the cabinets. Tony pulled at the leather cuff absently. "You know, ten years ago... well, a couple of years ago... hell, _last year_, I wouldn't have even been able to imagine that I'd be looking forward to getting tied up so much."

Tony pulled at the one round his ankle, not for escape or because it was uncomfortable. More to know it was there. And to test it. To show that his willingness was earned, not compulsory.

And because he would just _love_ to see the look on the bastard's face if he managed to break free.

Loki ran a hand down Tony's flank, fondling the muscles soothingly. The warm hand ran down to his inner thigh and stroked the sensitive skin. Tony watched Loki as hands petted, breathing softly, relaxing into gentleness.

He placed a very Asgardian looking glass pot onto the bed.

"What's that?" Tony asked.

Loki shushed him under his breath. He pulled out the stopper and reached for a smooth strip of wood. Then, as if by magic - actually, probably by magic - the pot was suddenly alive with a green flame.

Tony watched the flame dance for a while until Loki dipped the wood into the pot. The wood came out covered in the flaming liquid. Tony watched the reflection of the flame in Loki's green eyes until the good blew on it and exhausted the fire.

He began pasting it over Tony's arm. Tony glared at Loki but didn't speak. It was sticky and clawing and vaguely unpleasant. Tony squirmed slightly. Once his arm was covered, Loki smiled and pulled out a long flat piece of material. At this point, Tony was fairly certain he knew what was going on.

"Stop it," he said angrily, trying to twist his body away. But the binds, so simple compared to their usual heavy play, were surprisingly effective at holding him. He felt the material being pressed into his arm and felt that clinging sensation as the material stuck to the wax.

"Sh, sh, sh," Loki lulled as Tony twisted and bucked.

Loki started the same actions on the other arm as Tony tried to twist away. "Stop it!" Tony snapped.

"Whilst I'll ask the question, do not suppose for a moment I care to release you, or even stop. What is your objection?"

Tony pulled against the soft restraints angrily, trying to work out what, in actual fact, his objection was. It was difficult to elaborate but it was there. "You're obsessed in turning to turn me into a-"

"Boy?" Loki had moved back round to his first arm, took a corner of a strip of material and pulled.

Tony hissed, gritting his teeth. It was an unusual pain, pervasive and horribly stinging. Tony looked up and saw his skin was a vague red but now free of the long, dark hairs on his arms.

Loki reached down and yanked away the second strip from his forearm. Tony growled and shot daggers at Loki's back as he walked over to a drawer.

"What's that now?" Tony demanded angrily as Loki pulled out another glass vial. Loki poured a handful over Tony's arm and smoothed it in, massaging it until it built into a slight burning heat.

As Loki moved his hands away, it cooled back down. "It will stop any hair growth for at least a few months. Could be longer for a Midgardian. Six, maybe."

"And then?" Tony spat.

"We'll do this again."

"Every few months?"

"For the rest of eternity."

"Oh just kill me now."

Tony couldn't work out why he was so angry. Loki was... stripping him of his adulthood in a more intimate way than just reducing his world and calling him boy. Loki was already repeating the process on his other arm. Two sharp ripping sensations, then the soft massaging oil massaged so expertly into his arm.

"This is what you use then?" Tony asked.

"I don't grow hair."

"Thor does."

"Thor is an Asgardian."

Tony watched Loki pasting the wax onto his chest and stomach, collecting the few stray hairs there. Tony hissed as the strip was yanked away. The most painful was… _that_ area. Tony cursed the man more viciously and more heatedly than he had ever done before.

And all the while Loki just chuckled.

"You fucking shit!"

"If you say so."

"You don't have any fucking right-"

Loki's hand rose. For a second, Tony thought he was going to get a smack along with everything else. But Loki was simply holding his hand to Tony's face. "Until this scar glows," Loki breathed, a whispered promise, "I'm going to do whatever I like to you."

The scar wasn't glowing. As far was Tony was concerned it fucking should be.

_If he untied me now, and there was a door, would I walk out?_

Tony shuddered in vicious ire as he realised he wouldn't. "You fucking prick. You mother fucking shit."

Loki kissed Tony's mouth, hard enough to bruise his lips and poured out the oily substance. It dripped onto Tony's chest and stomach. Cool, skilled fingers messaged it into his skin. The slight burn, but then the wave of cool was lit up his senses.

Then... Fuck. Tony fought again as he recognised the sensation of sugar pooling in his stomach and his groin beginning to heat. "Fuck," he growled as he yanked hard at the bindings.

Loki watched Tony wordlessly as the man finally gave in, glaring at the far wall and not meeting Loki's eyes. "It bothers you, that this arouses you?" Loki asked as he rubbed more oil into Tony's shaking body.

"Stop it," Tony spat.

"Relax Tony."

"No I won't fucking relax!"

Loki sighed, reaching out and despite Tony's violent protests, gripped his cock and began stroking sparingly but efficiently, twisting and jerking. The oil in his hand caused an unexpected edge to this play. As Loki gripped and pumped, the heat built to a terrible level, but when he released, the cold rushed in to make Tony shiver. It was too much sensation to bare and Tony grunted and huffed.

"We should have done this months ago. You're all lovely and bare down here. Makes it so much easier for me to work you."

The harder Tony got, the less he protested, the stiller he became until he lay, shivering, the overwhelming sensations causing tears to gently fall down his face. When Loki let go, his long hard and red cock pressed uncomfortably against his stomach, the sudden cold feeling like ice.

He groaned pitifully.

"Relax now," Loki soothed.

"Just let me go," Tony whined. He wasn't exactly sure what he was asking for.

"No. No, Tony," Loki said, dispassionately. "You're mine now. I will kill you before I let you go. Now hush and calm yourself, my beautiful, clever, adorable boy. Let me look after you."

Tony watched as Loki covered his legs in wax and material strips. He tensed himself for pain as Loki moved to each one in turn. He gritted his teeth against every sharp, shooting pain, his legs shaking slightly.

"Such a prize I have captured. I lost the war, it is true and yet I still managed plunder some spoils. I did not gain what I had gone to war for, but instead, I got you. And what a trophy!"

Loki leaned up and pasted the wax over the back of Tony's hands.

"Now, spoils of war must, in true Asgardian fashion, must be protected. Locked away in case enemies should steal it away, or even back. But not for all time. After all, what use is a trophy if you never show it off? Display it to your peers to highlight you victory."

Tony flinched as first one strip was yanked away, then another.

Loki sat back on his hind legs and surveyed his victim with a pleased expression. "Lovely. Just your back left. But this," Loki ran a finger up Tony's erection, stopping to gather the leaking precum and rub the head slightly. "I have plans for this beauty."

Loki turned Tony over and created a structure of pillows which was comfortable, but very definitely kept his hips off the bed. Tony lay still as his back was finished. He had no more objections to give. He felt like a doll in Loki's games and god help him, it felt so good.

As Loki worked, the strange little monologue began again. "Precious, precious little thing. And all mine. My greatest achievement, how can you possibly worry that I would do anything to harm you? You're too valuable. You're my proof; that I finally won."

The bindings around his ankles and wrists were released. Tony sensed Loki was done and pushed himself back onto his knees.

"I'm your trophy too, Tony. Don't you see? You hold a god in your hands. The smallest thing you say, the smallest thing you do… you build me up or cut me down. You make believe I am a true god, or a monster, just with the way you look at me. Tony Stark is Tony Stark and he belongs to me. But Loki is whatever you want him to be."

Tony turned and grabbed Loki's head, bringing him close and biting his bottom lip hard. "Shut up and fuck me," Tony hissed, his teeth painfully tight over Loki's lip.

Tony lay back, pulling Loki with him, wrapping his legs around the slender waist. He reached down, finding the long, slender cock and pushed it into his ass. He groaned out as he was breached then wriggled his hips to force Loki deeper.

"Come on!" Tony snapped angrily.

"Easy my love. In all good-"

Tony drove his hips up, closing the distance and forcing his body so violently into Loki's frame the bed shook.

"Ah!" Tony screamed as the sudden fullness made him giddy. "God, yes!"

Tony's hips worked furiously, his arms holding Loki's shoulders for support, his back arching back and his eyes rolling to the back of his head. "Oh fuck, oh yes, oh yes, fuck, god," Tony panted desperately.

Loki remained still, his eyes intent on the performance, a smirk across his lips as he revelled in this unquestionable display of his boy's need for him.

"Loki, Loki, fuck, Loki," Tony ground out, his hips working back and forth. "I have to-fuck, I have to!"

Loki tilted his head but said nothing, his eyes fixed on the shuddering, shining body bucking beneath him. Tony reached down and jerked himself harshly, the added pain pushing him over the edge. His body exploded and convulsed. "Oh god yes," he hissed out as every muscle gave way.

Now he lay supine beneath Loki, waiting for the god to turn him over, to fuck him until the god came. When nothing happened, his cracked his eyelids open with force. "Wh-zt 'ong?" He asked thickly.

"Nothing, boy," Loki comforted. "Nothing at all."

"So, fuck me then," Tony murmured, his eyes falling shut again.

"Sex isn't everything, Tony," Loki said.

Tony snorted derisively. Or it would have sounded derisive had he not been so tried. It sounded more like a choke. He felt Loki pushing his wet fringe out of his face. "Pretty thing."

"Back at ya, man." Tony rubbed his eyes and looked up. Loki was still leaning over him on all fours, holding him down like a cat playing with a mouse.

"What an atrocious load of shit you were muttering," Tony said with a roll of his eyes.

"I say whatever I must to make you feel good."

"Oh, don't put yourself out on my account, please," Tony scathed. He reached down and gripped the god's erection, smirking nasty and Loki moaned and shuddered. "You seem to enjoy your pretty lies as much I as do. Purr for me."

Loki pressed his forehead against Tony's, his eyes shut and sighed his moans. Tony smiled. He let go and ran his hands over Loki's chest. "Never thought I'd get used to sleeping with a man. Now I can't imagine being without you."

"Thank you."

Tony frowned slightly. A thanks seemed like an odd response.

Loki repeated his thanks softly. "I need to know you feel this way. Just sometimes. I need to know you want to stay."

"Let's just say you're not the only one who'd go homicidal if the other left. And don't forget, I have access to nuclear material." He leaned up and kissed the pale chest, lips following the lines of muscles. "Oh man. I feel completely wrung through. I don't know how you do this to me, but don't ever stop."

"Never." Loki moved now so he was kneeling over Tony's chest. "Suck me."

Tony smiled as he shimmied back, propping himself up onto his arms. He took the cock in his mouth, his head moving back and forth lazily.

Loki made a noise of prefect bliss and it made Tony chuckle. The long, slender fingers tangled themselves into Tony's brown hair, now guiding and directing the pleasure. And Tony, happy to be guided and directed, let the cock slip to the back of his throat. He paused slightly, drooling as he gagged, then relaxed again, taking him even further.

Loki was appreciating the efforts. Tony loved the fact he could make Loki make sounds like that. The god was panting and moaning and muttering Asgardian. Tony reached round and slipped a finger, probing at the entrance to Loki's body.

Loki hissed out what was probably an Asgardian curse and growled, "More."

Tony pushed in with two fingers, feeling Loki's hot tight muscles clenching him. It only made Tony suck harder. Loki's grip was more demanding now. Tony could feel he was close and redoubled his efforts. Tony pushed in a third finger. Loki grunted, shuddered and sent the hot stream down Tony's throat.

Tony swallowed and slapped Loki's arm impatiently as the grabbing fist in his hair failed to release. Loki let go with reluctance.

Tony lay back, releasing a long breath. "So, I'm picturing some sort of kinetic barrier for the AOTS. You know, like the shields the Millennium Falcon has."

"I sincerely hope you weren't," Loki grumbled.

"Not while we were fucking. Now, I mean. Well, started thinking about it yesterday when I was watching reports of the USS Gillyflower being attacked off the coast of Somalia." Tony looked at his arms, barely recognising them as his. The oil Loki had used had dried; leaving his arms as soft he'd ever felt them and clear of all hair.

It still irked Tony. He felt young, at worst feminine. "You could have asked first."

"Would you have consented?"

"No."

"There you are then," Loki sighed, as though it were obvious. Loki got off Tony's chest and slid down next to him, summoning blankets onto the bed which wrapped around them.

Loki reached out and stroked Tony's arm. "I like it. It pleases me. Simply be grateful that I have allowed you to keep your goatee."

_I will destroy him, Thor. I will take from him everything he thinks he is and leave him with nothing._

"Grateful is for when you put the dishes away. Grateful isn't for you just barely respecting my rights." Tony let a long breath leave his chest, relaxing in the warmth. "Where are we?"

There was a pause. "Home," Loki said, as though it were obvious.

"No," Tony grumbled. "I mean where in the world?"

"You've never asked before."

"I'm asking now." Tony rolled his eyes. "Are we still in America?"

"No."

"Europe?"

"No."

"Asia?"

"No."

Tony sighed. "Fine. Which hemisphere are we on, over or under?"

Loki paused, thinking. "The Northern hemisphere."

"Okay. Now we're getting somewhere. Are we under Guinea?"

"No."

"Kenya?"

"No."

"Somalia? Uganda?"

"Tony, wouldn't you rather be taking my cock in your mouth?"

"Maldives? Colombia?"

This continued for some time until Tony finally gave up in annoyance. "You've either got no fucking idea where we are, or you're lying."

"My love, you asked me what hemisphere. You didn't ask me what planet."

Tony went still.

Loki's mouth sucked Tony's neck wetly. "Oh my darling pet. You didn't really think we were still in Midgard, did you?"

Tony felt more isolated from the world and everything in it than he had ever done before. "I just... assumed."

Loki chuckled. "Even if you did manage to find a way out of our home," Loki whispered darkly, "which I would be perfectly astonished at given we are in _the middle of a mountain_, you would only run into creatures who would return to straight to me."

"So not Asgard."

"Of course not. You could only exist in Asgard if the All Father allowed it."

"Jötunheimr?"

"I am not exactly popular there," Loki muttered. Tony couldn't tell if he was proud or bitter. Maybe just stating the fact.

"Then where?"

"My brother and I visited other realms and believe it or not, his arrogant, boastful nature did not necessarily make him wholly popular among the other races. This realm... the people here are more to my nature. I am an honoured guest of this realm, as I have been for hundreds of years, and they shield me from Asgard."

"Where are we?"

"Álfheim." Loki paused, noting Tony's frown. "Realm of the elves."

"Elves? Dark Elves you mean?"

"No. The Dark Elves are of Svartalfheim. Perfectly vile, warlike race who exist in a constant state of turmoil in their lands. The elves of Álfheim are philosophers, craftsmen, poets, sorcerers, dreamers... not warriors," Loki said, his emphasis clear. "They are a peaceful people... a people who did not appreciate Thor's brazen behaviour and demands for more mead."

And perhaps the first people Loki had encountered who had preferred him to Thor.

Tony respected and liked Thor, but he could well imagine a Thor before his time on Earth. Good natured and honourable, but spoilt and arrogant.

"And now they let you keep your evil lair and mortal captives here?" Tony asked incredulously.

"They have a great respect for property and ownership. They are not as," here Loki's tone took on a patronising edge. "_Sophisticated_ as you Midgardians. They understand ownership of an individual, in all its forms. Marriage, parenthood, slavery. The will of one over another, for their own good."

Tony snorted and dug an elbow into Loki's side.

"Above all, they respect the custom of - take your elbow out of my ribs, Tony, before I remove your arms from your body. They respect the custom of þjá ey and they would return my property without hesitation... even if the property itself objected."

"Damn right I'd object." Tony thought for a bit as Loki carded his fingers through Tony's hair. "Why am I able to exist here but not in Asgard?"

"Magic."

"You're right, I don't care."

"I didn't think so."

"Elves?"

"Yes."

"How very Lord of the Rings." Tony thought for a bit longer. "Is this where you were hiding out from Odin?"

"Yes, though I suspect Odin knew where I was. I have been coming here since my childhood. But he could not send a party to this realm to capture and bring me back. Firstly, he would find the Queen of this Realm most unwilling to divulge my location. And he would risk a war."

"With the poets and philosophers? Ooh. Scary."

"Stop it, Tony."

"What would they do? Throw sonnets at Asgardian soldiers? Noo! The rhyming couplets, they burn!" Tony sniggered at his own joke, then yelped as Loki bit his neck sharply. "What the fuck? You learnt your disciplinarian techniques from Animal Planet?"

"Now did you or did you not hear me tell you they were also sorcerers?" Loki asked, the old school teacher tone back in play. "Besides, they are above all else, craftsmen. And the other Realms would be less than happy with Asgard if they began a war, cutting off their access to trade."

"This is where you learnt your magic then."

Loki made a vague _meh_-like noise. Or the Asgardian equivalent. "In part. But they do not use my… type of magic here. As I say, they are sorcerers."

"Right. And you're a level three spell caster with a language bonus and +50 for sexy swagger."

"What are you talking about, Anthony?"

"Nothing. I really do think I'm high." _I'm just in such a good mood._ "What are you then? No, wait, I know; you're a conjurer, right?"

Loki tutted loudly. "I'm an Illusionist." He sighed. "Technically speaking at any rate. I was born a shape-shifter. I explore destructive and healing magics. But my talent lies in Illusion."

"But you _conjure_ clones."

"No, you adorably precious moron. I create _illusions_ of myself."

Tony shrugged. "Doesn't matter. It's all magic, it's not like it's real." He smiled darkly at Loki's annoyed exclamation. Tony sat up. "I need to get back to the lab."

"Why?"

"I think I know how to create a kinetic barrier without firing the values."

"You can afford to sleep for an hour, Tony."

"No. Lab. Now."

Loki fixed cold eyes on him. "You have been just that little too demanding of late, _boy_."

Tony sensed the chances of his returning to the lab slipping away quickly. "Loki," Tony soothed gently. "Minn guð. I'll only be in the lab. You'll know where to find me if you want me."

"You realise on Midgard it's two in the morning."

"I do my best work at two in the morning."

"So do I," Loki purred. "Lie back and let me show you."

Tony leaned in and slipped his tongue between Loki's thin lips. "Come on. I don't stop you from playing Machiavelli, don't get in the way of my Da Vinci."

He felt a slight twinge of dread at Loki's reaction. With a six sense born of this relationship, he could tell Loki was pissed. But when the man smiled and it looked so genuine. "You are right of course, Tony."

Tony felt wary, the premonition of evil ahead intensifying. "Okay," Tony said slowly. He stood, walking slowly into Loki's arms. Loki was already clothed, the magic shimmering across his body.

Tony felt Loki strong arms wrap around his waist. He glared suspiciously. "What-"

Tony felt the sudden cold and darkness... And city lights.

"Fuck!" Tony tried to pull backwards, but Loki's strength was too much.

Around him, the city horizon of landscapes stretched out around him, skyscrapers littered around them. Sure, none were as high as the platform they were standing on, but all around him Tony could virtually feel hundreds of eyes on his naked body.

"Let me go!" Tony hissed, as though if he spoke too loud, the whole city would hear him. "Why the fuck are we even here, I meant fucking Malibu! Let me go!"

"I'm sorry, where do you want to go?"

"Inside!"

"Inside where?"

"The fucking lab!"

"Wrong answer," Loki sang.

A hand reached down and grabbed him. Tony's eyes were wide and panicked. The stroking was powerful and intense; a skill honed over hundreds of years. A desperate whimper croaked from Tony's throat. "Stop it, stop it, oh god stop!" Tony hissed wildly. "Fucking let go of me!"

Tony fought and squirmed. But one arm, wrapped tightly around Tony's waist was all Loki needed to keep him still. "The great Tony Stark, getting fucked in this ass, cumming across the Iron Man's platform," Loki said, sounding as though he were even going so far as to write tomorrow's headlines.

Now, fairs fair. It wouldn't be the first time Tony was caught en flagrante by the world's media. And then there was that time at the Savoy… It would be the first time with a man though. And the first time with a man who had tried to destroy New York.

The image boiled up and took life in Tony's mind. His cock was twitching and pulsing.

"I'll do whatever you want," Tony begged.

"You'll do whatever I want anyway, that's why this is so much fun."

"Just stop it, please, I can't do this."

"You want it."

"I want it to stop."

"No you don't."

Tony looked up, his eyes harsh. He was panting now, his body shaking as Loki's hand forced the erection to a new level. "I don't want to have to say it. I don't want to say the word. Too evil."

Loki paused, suddenly uncertain. The hand left him and a moment later, they were in the bedroom, back in Malibu.

Tony pulled away, focusing on getting rid of his erection, pulling on clothes. Loki watched silently from the bed.

Once he was clothed again, Tony turned and smiled vaguely. "I'm going down to the lab. You can come with me if you want, but I got a hell of a lot of work to do."

"That is it? You're not going whine and pout like a child?" Loki spat.

Tony laughed. "Nah. You're as damaged as I am. We're going to burn each other all the time, because we're too damn hot. Doesn't mean I don't love you. Doesn't mean I'll ever stop wanting you. Now come on, I've got to build a shield and you can read your magic books. You fucking psycho prick."


	56. Chapter 56: Jump without looking

Chapter 56

Do you know what the most expensive nightclub in London is? The Midnight Concierge nightclub in Mayfair. And now Tony knew from first-hand experience after he had asked for a glass of Dalmore and it had arrived at his elbow in a moment. Now that was service you couldn't buy.

Well, you could buy it. That was the point. But it cost an arm and a leg. And hand and a foot and probably a couple of kidneys.

Since Loki, his party life had diminished slightly, but he still made this odd… pilgrimage in a way. It was almost a way to remind himself of who he was. Or who he had been. A reassurance that he could come back to this life whenever the hell he wanted.

He blinked slightly as he felt a tongue in his ear. He wished he was unfamiliar with the sensation, but too many hopefuls had done that to him. Loki did a lot of licking, but never _in_ his ear. I mean, come on? What's up with that?

"Come on, Tony. Entertain me," the woman crooned. Her hand crept up his leg and he caught it in time.

"Whoa there, Sandra."

"Sabrina."

"Sure. I'm actually dating… someone. Not that you're not a… lovely girl." _Fuck she's young enough to be my daughter._"Why don't you go over to the bar? I think I saw a Ugandan prince over there."

Shelia pulled a pout and draped herself over his shoulder, playing with the frame of his D&G tinted rose sunglasses. "You said you'd buy me a drink?"

"Did I? Well, what do you know, I did. You old enough? Just kidding. Seriously, are you?" Tony called a waiter over and finished his glass while she ordered a cocktail.

The thing is, it's not flirting if you don't take it seriously and he wasn't. There was just a part of him that needed to know he was still the Tony Stark from before. Tony Stark, sexy, playboy, _ladies_ man. And _god, this girl is an absolute pain._

"And what does Tony Stark do with his weekends?" Sharon purred.

"This weekend I was at a wedding," Tony answered dully.

"Do you ever think about getting married?"

"You don't waste any time, do you Sheryl?"

"Sabrina."

Thor and Jane's wedding had been… well, really incredibly happy.

Yes. He had gone.

Shut up.

It had been in the little town that Loki had brought him to after the zombie incident. Which at least cleared up that mystery. It was where Thor and Jane had met, fallen in love and knocked the god down twice with a car. The wedding had been held in the middle of the town. It had been a very small ceremony and, Tony thought given his limited understanding of weddings, pretty classy. It was just attended by Jane's family and colleagues. Tony was there for Thor and that was about it.

Tony had a mental image of the glittering ranks of the Warriors Three, but no. Though Jane told him later that they would be expected to do something when she went to Asgard to make it official in Asgardian law.

The whole day had been what you'd expect from a wedding. It had made Tony a little nauseous with a blood sugar over load. The pair were just so in love, it was enough to make you gag. And previously Tony had thought Jane was a matter of fact kind of gal. But he supposed every woman was a princess on their wedding day.

At least in Darcy he had found something of a kindred spirit. He had liked the girl immensely, even as she pried into his sex life with Loki with the same subtle techniques as a crowbar on a diary padlock.

Eric Selvig was quiet and thoughtful, but had launched into hours of discussion with Tony over his research on the Tesseract. It seemed the man was still with SHIELD, still trying to duplicate the power of the Tesseract using Earth materials. It wasn't working so far.

On the subject of Loki he had been mute.

"Sally-"

"Sabrina."

"What did we say about the hands?" He moved the hand off his thigh again.

Tony used to think the world was filled with ditzy blondes and stupid men. Then he had met Pepper, and Bruce, and Natasha and Rhodey. He had realised that apart from these few exceptions, he actually _attracted_ the phonies. Tony Stark was a light for the moths of giggling brainless fawners. People as fake as they come.

_Because in you, they had found the fake supreme. The image of Tony Stark is as fake the people who love him._

And then Loki had waltzed into his life, captured him, broken him into tiny pieces until he had found the only true part of Tony and kept it for himself.

And Loki waltzed in.

The man had been so on Tony's mind that for a second he was almost convinced that he had imagined him. But Loki crossed the room, not sparing him a glance and walked up the short flight of steps to the private rooms.

"Tony!"

"What?"

"Were you listening?" The girl pouted.

"No. Sorry. I've got to… go. Now. See you around Sarah."

"It's Sabrina, you jerk!"

Tony turned in surprise, already halfway across the room. "You see, now I like you," he said with a smile. "But I still have to go."

The bar had an overhanging ledge that looked down onto the dance floor so even in the bar, it had been quite noisy. Up here though, the sound was a bit muffled and Tony knew that once he got into a room, the noise would be deadened completely.

There were six rooms with plush purple doors. The only thing differentiating them was a little black number screwed into the front.

"Eenie meenie miney mo…" Tony breathed.

Door Three was quickly eliminated as a group of slightly tipsy men and women piled out. Tony jerked back slightly, as though he had been caught doing something naughty and watched them stagger unsteadily down the steps to the bar.

Another door clicked open. "Are you going to stand there all day, Tony?"

Tony smiled and walked into number Five. "Should I be expecting to see this on my bill? Or are we going to skip out without paying?"

"My treat. Or rather, Hammer's."

"How is the bastard?"

"Back on solids."

Tony felt a shiver of fear and guilt battle with a wonderful sense of delight. He wasn't sure which had won as Loki sprawled out over a couch. _Fuck it, delight won._

The rooms here had themes, Tony knew. He hadn't used them before, but he had read the information online. The theme of this room was rock and roll. The room was black, with band logos painted sporadically across the walls. Guns and Roses, Iron Maiden's Eddie, Slip Knot and a handful of others. Tony's eyes rested briefly and fondly on AC/DC. There were framed photographs of Mick Jagger and Alice Cooper, all signed flamboyantly.

The room had two couches and a couple of chairs surrounding a low table. A TV was fixed to the wall and was playing some rock music channel.

On the table there was a covered plate. Tony walked over and pulled off the cover. "Ooh, cheeseburger." He turned to Loki with a raised eyebrow. "Why?"

"I didn't imagine you had eaten yet today."

"Been a bit busy."

"Fighting off long legged blond creatures." Tony caught Loki's eye quickly, but the god was chuckling. "Must be dreadful for you, love."

Tony pulled the plate forward and sat on the couch next to Loki. "I was referring more to the press conference."

"I am sure you were."

Tony decided to ignore that. He turned his head and smiled. "Thanks. For the cheeseburger."

"Never thank me for taking care of you. I assure you, I do so from the most selfish of motives."

"I can't fuck if I'm ill?" Tony asked with a smile. "Well, I'm thanking you anyway." He leaned forward and started eating.

"You're wearing sunglasses again. Inside."

Tony glanced around. Loki was in human clothes, black jeans, black shirt and draped over one of the chairs he saw a black, thigh length coat. All in all, not the glitz and glam you were supposed to wear to these do's, but on Loki, as sexy as fiery hell. "You're wearing jeans and a shirt, I'm surprised they let you through the door."

"You are wearing jeans," Loki pointed out.

Tony shook his head at his god's inability to grasp anything Midgardian. "No, you see, I'm wearing a pair of $20,000 sunglasses and a $60,000 jacket with a Black Sabbath t-shirt underneath and trainers. I dress so casually, I have to be loaded."

"Oh, the giddy wonders of this realm," Loki said dryly.

Tony snorted and started on his burger while Loki seemed content just to watch. When he had finished his meal, he slumped back.

There was a long silence.

_Awkward._

"This is the part where we usually have sex," Tony pointed out.

"Something tells me you are not in the mood."

Tony had to agree. "But that's all we do."

"Not true. We play chess. And poker."

"And do our best to slowly wind each other up." Tony stood and dragged an unresisting Loki up with him. "Come on." He pulled Loki out of the room and down the hall. "I know why we don't have anything else to do but screw."

"Oh?"

Tony looked over his shoulder as he tugged Loki along. "You and I, we're not indoor people. Well, yeah, that's a lie. We are. Your books and my gizmos, but that's what we do to be alone. But you and I, we live around people because people are more fun."

Pretty much all conversation was drowned out as they moved into the main area of the nightclub. Tony and Loki walked down the steps from the bar onto the floor. Tony could feel his pulse in his neck, the hammer of music in his chest, the vibration of the base rocking through him like a heartbeat.

He gave Loki a careful smile which the god returned but far more predatorily. Tony hadn't been sure how Loki might react to this; they hardly had nightclubs in Asgard.

Loki seemed to be talking it all in his stride. It was Tony who was more scared, more anxious, more terrified. He could already feel the weight of this decision beginning to make his knees buckle, but he pushed through it.

He felt eyes on him and, while there were definitely eyes on him, probably not the thousands and thousands he was envisioning. He tilted his head slightly, pulling Loki close, feeling his mouth going dry with the mounting fretfulness.

He swayed his hips into the man's body, _the man's. Man. Tony Stark with a man. Hey! Tony Stark with a man over here! _and ran his hands down Loki's arms. _Fuck. Fuck. Maybe they'll just believe I'm drunk. Or high._ It took maybe a few minutes for Loki to hear and understand the rhythms in the music_. _Initially, the god seemed to take his cues from Tony's movements, but soon, he, _he! Tony and a 'he',_ was moving so silkily. Like a snake.

Tony smile widened and he gave a little laughing gasp. The pounding in chest as he felt the world around him turn to stare was getting beyond exhilarating and just panic stricken.

Loki could feel it. Tony realised the god could sense every pulse of excitement and dread that poured though his body like hot lead. Loki's face moved until Tony's head was nestled in the god's neck and the pale lips moved to his ear.

"Shh, shh, shh," Loki soothed. "Hush my little one, my sweet love. I don't bite."

Tony laughed and felt his body sway a little more forcibly; _a man. A man's hips, a man's body, a man draping himself around Tony with arms strong and broad and so, so, _against Loki. Loki's hips returned the act and soon it had stopped being just undulating and turned into actual dancing.

Admittedly, the dirty kind. But Tony was totally down with that.

"Yeah, just like that," Tony murmured as Loki dipped and did what Tony could only describe as a body roll. Though the god probably would have had no idea what that meant. _Fuck he's so perfect._

Arms travelled over each other, hot breath hit his cheek and neck. Soft soothing noises poured from Loki's mouth and all the while, Tony felt the music beat though him like a pulse. Bodies pressed against each other, at no point were they not connecting to each other.

He breathed in the deep, rich smell of Loki. His eyes were closed… admittedly mostly to avoid the eyes but also because he wanted to lose himself in this moment. He listened to the music, mostly because he wanted to block out the increased chatter around him, the people calling his name. And he clung onto Loki and moved because the minute he stopped, he would have to say that he had danced in public, grinding against his partner like a horny teenager, with a man, _a man, in public for the entire world to see._

His eyes flickered open slightly as he heard a voice. He looked up and realised Loki had spoken, but the sound in the club was too loud.

"What?" he asked.

Loki head bent down and Tony waited for the hundred things he knew Loki could say to make this situation just that little more embarrassing and terrifying. But for reasons beyond him, Loki chose none of them. "I said, I am unfamiliar with Midgardian music. Is this good?"

Tony felt the laugh bubble up inside of him until his entire frame was shaking. He shook his head and Loki leant back in to hear the answer. "Nah, man. Complete shit. When I get you home, we'll dance to some real music."

Tony shuddered as Loki's hand moved down. Loki was breathing in his ear. "Stop me. Stop me if you want to." And Loki's hand was there, squeezing his ass _in public. A guy gripping my ass in public_. Tony moaned and arched into Loki as he swayed to the rhythm of the beats.

The dance couldn't last forever. When the song had finished, Tony decided that was quite enough for one evening. After all, he was in danger of showing just how much he had enjoyed that. He took a moment to clear his head of hazy lust, though even blinking hard he couldn't seem to shift it. Then he took Loki's hand and headed to the exit.

"The Midnight Concierge nightclub is the most expensive club in London, did you know that?" he chatted, giddy, blind and deaf to the world around him. He was pulling Loki along like a child with a balloon. "You actually have to be someone. Vouched for. Billionaires and playboys and actors and CEOs-"

"Tony-"

"I had to play the Iron Man card to get in here. As though _Tony Stark_ wasn't enough."

"Tony-"

"Dalmore is the world's greatest single malt whiskey. I mean, in the world. The whole of the world. Do you know what you have to do to get your hands on it? And they had it to me in a second, Loki. Like that. Like a snap of your fingers, like that. I had ordered it more as a joke than anything else and there it was. Fuck, think of the bill."

Tony's world jerked as the balloon became a weight. He turned, his unfocused, wandering eyes resting on his god. "What?"

"One moment," Loki said quietly. "I should change."

"Why? You're beautiful."

Loki looked at him and somewhere in Tony's mad hysteria, he saw that Loki was concerned at his behaviour. "No, I should _change_."

"Why?" Tony asked. He wasn't thinking properly, boiled up on irrational energy, the world around him seemed too obvious. He felt like he was fulfilling a script rather than actually deciding. It had to be now. It had to be today. How had he not known that when he woke up this morning?

Loki's hand was held tight in Tony's as he walked towards the doors. He was already getting looks from the people in the corridors. From the receptionist at the desk. From the doorman. Outside was the circus, a sea of noise and clicking and flashing lights and he was holding Loki's hand.

As Tony approached the doors, he again felt a slight pull. The god tilted his head curiously. "Will I be recognised?"

"Trust me, love, they'll be too busy looking at me. I'm Tony Stark, remember?"

They walked out of the club and the scene was alive with shouts and flash photography. _Epileptics beware._ Shouts and screams from a queue of people still trying to get in. In the mist of the shouts, one voice became clearer than the others. "Tony! Is it true you've been suspended from the Avengers?"

Tony turned away from the crowd, smiled up at Loki. He pulled up Loki's unresisting hand and kissed it delicately. _Huh, well would you look at that._ Had Tony known that was the way to cause about a hundred people to go dead silent, he would have started doing it years ago.

Well, not _silent_, silent. The frantic clicking filled the air and caused so much light to be produced it might as well be fucking noon, not eleven thirty at night. Tony smiled at Loki and pulled him closer as he walked down the steps to the car. He wasn't sure who broke the silence first, but suddenly they weren't asking about the Avengers anymore.

Noise exploded again. Mostly women screaming hysterically - joy or devastation it wasn't clear.

As Hogan and the car pulled up, all the reporters they passed seemed to have forgotten about the Avengers. Now they were all demanding to know if he was gay. Tony glanced back at Loki again as they reached the car. His anchor felt so strong, looking down on him so calm, so easy, giving him a small, comforting smile.

This was the end of Tony's entire world, but for Loki, it was just another source of endless amusement.

"It's all a game, Tony," Loki whispered.

_It's a game._

_Tony Stark, look at yourself. You're having to take advice from an ancient, psycho Nordic god. I'm Tony fucking Stark and I've known life was a game since the beginning and don't you tell me how play it._

Tony pulled round and waved to the cameras. "Great to be here," he said. "Love England. Lots of tea."

"Tony Stark, are you gay?"

"What I am is delighted that the press conference went so well. Were you there? No? Well, it was really for grown up reporters, not people who hang outside clubs in the middle of the night like vultures hovering over a mortuary. Don't take that personally, or anything. You're probably one of the sexier vultures."

"Who's your friend?"

"Someone who is as concerned about global warming as I am, and hopes that your government will approve the third Arc Reactor. Great guy, Dave Cameron. Shorter than you'd expect."

"Do you think an Arc Reactor will be approved in Beijing?"

"Hey! A sensible question. Yes I do think they'll approve the Beijing contract. I and my CEO James Conway, Jimmy to his friends, both think a push into Asia is a great idea."

"Great. And are you gay?"

"I see what you did there. Drew me in on something important and hit me with the bull. Well, thanks to you, I've now lost my faith in the press. I hope you can live with yourself."

"You're holding hands with a guy outside a nightclub."

"It's cold." Tony gave a trademark smile for the cameras and decided it was time to leave them wanting more. He practically pushed Loki in through the car door and followed.

As the door of the limo slammed on the noise Tony threw himself into a seat, staring ahead of him at nothing, his body thrumming with shock.

Loki was draped out on the seat to his left. "Well," he purred. "What fun. You do know how to show your date a good time, Tony."

Tony's face sank into his hands as everything came crashing down. "Why do I jump, every fucking time, without looking down?"

"I'm here, Tony. I'll always be here when you jump."

"Can I please get drunk now?"

Loki looked at him judgingly. "Alright."

Hours later, Tony felt as weak as a child as Loki carefully led him into the Malibu house. "One foot in front of the other, Tony."

Some part of Tony told him he should be able to do this, but his legs disagreed. In fact, his feet protested against the idea of moving over a constantly shifting floor and his legs were taking their prompting from his feet and refused to carry his weight.

"One foot," Tony repeated blearily. "In front. Okay. Gonna wait here. For moment."

"We are not even through the door yet, little one."

"And w-who turned on the lights? It's two in the fucking morning. Turn 'em off!"

"It's three in the morning in London. We're in Malibu, Tony. Only seven in the afternoon."

"Oh. Whz we doing in Mali...bu?"

"I brought us back."

"Oh."

"Come on. Let's get you to the chair at least."

"I love you Loki."

"I know."

"Yeah but you don't get it!" Tony whined.

This was a whole new way of getting paralytic. Loki had explained at maybe the fourth bar that þjá ey had an effect on his metabolism. His body was just more efficient at doing what it needed to do. Filter ethanol from his system? Check. Create clotting cells and antibodies in record time? Check. Remain conscious after explosive orgasms? Way ahead of you.

Was it the fourth bar? Or was it the fifth? Tony knew it wasn't the sixth because the sixth bar they had gone to had been called Bar Sixty Nine which had made Tony laugh until he had fallen down. Lucky really that Loki had been there to lift him up again or Tony might have had to wait there until morning.

The playboy turned boy-toy gripped Loki's shoulders like his world would turn upside if he let go.

His anchor. His god. His love.

Tony took another step and almost fell over. "Oopsie," he chuckled.

He heard a weary sigh and suddenly his world blurred into a wall of colour then settled again. It took him a second to clock what happened, then he snuggled his face into Loki's neck as the god carried him up the stairs.

"Don't drop me," Tony groaned.

"Never."

Tony felt himself sink down into the bed. As Loki let go, Tony dragged and flopped himself to the side and reached under the cabinet. He pulled up a bottle of vodka. "See?" He slurred. "Didn't find all of it, did ya? Fucker."

"You're too smart for me, Tony," Loki agreed gently.

"That's right." Tony fumbled with the cap with increasing frustration until Loki's large hand reached over and twisted it off.

Tony sat swaying for a moment, staring at the bottle. Loki leaned over, took the glass from his hand and pushed the bottle neck to Tony's lips. Tony's head moved forward and he drank slowly. Buzzing had been hours ago. Now he was just... What wasn't buzzing but not unconscious?

At the second bar, he had said… something. Loki had stared at him for the longest moment, then broke down in hysterical laughter that had made Tony so happy. Fuck. If only he could remember what he had said.

Loki pulled the bottle away slightly. Tony swallowed and licked his lips.

"More?" Loki asked.

Tony waved it away. "No. No more, or I'll be drink. Drunk. I am drunk."

"You are allowed to be sometimes. So long as I am here to keep you from mischief."

"_You're_ the mischief," Tony pointed out in a slur.

"How right you are, love."

Tony licked his lips again. "Oh man, everything's all movey." He turned and buried himself into Loki's chest. He watched Loki take a long swig from the bottle as a muscular arm came up to wrap around his back. "You're dating Tony Stark," Tony garbled.

"Indeed I am."

"In all papers before morning."

"I'm going to be famous," Loki teased.

Tony snorted in laughter and snuggled closer. He was getting tired now. "Jarvis turn lights off," he mumbled.

"The lights are off, Tony. The sun's still up."

"Alright."

"Go to sleep."

"You go to sleep." Tony cooed slightly as Loki began a gentle petting.

Xxx

"Good morning Sir."

The next thing Tony knew, he was waking up with a face full of Californian sun. He had been expecting a migraine. He sat up, feeling, if not good, then at least in one piece. Surprising. "Loki, you around?" he called.

There was no answer, so he dragged himself to the bathroom and washed up. All in all, given he was the drunkest last night than he had been since college, (with the noticeable exception that he hadn't, to be best of his recollection, thrown up), he wasn't looking any worse for it. Though he wasn't going to be running any marathons today, he could at least get started on the final plans for the AOTS.

_So,_ þjá ey_ means no more hangovers? That's almost worth having to spend your life with a psycho._

He checked his reflection and spotted that the grey hair which he usually touched up was back. No more of it, which he was thankful for, but enough to be noticed around his temples.

"Is this an appropriate time to bring today's news coverage to Sir's attention?"

Tony groaned. "Yeah. Yeah, okay. Lay it on me."

It wasn't as bad as it could have been. Though what Tony probably should have remembered was camera phones. Everyone had a fucking camera phone these days and what photo did the majority of the press run with? Not them holding hands but them dancing in the club. Tony groaned slightly, but even through his embarrassment he couldn't help but notice that _damn. We look fucking sexy together._

"Damn. We look good."

Of course, they were both sexy guys. Tony more so, obviously. But Tony hadn't stopped to think what they looked like together. He found himself smiling as so far the best and clearest photo from inside the club was presented. He tilted his head, like he was admiring art.

"Jarvis, keep this one would you?"

"Yes sir. It would seem that the majority of the gossip columns would agree with your assessment. With the very noticeable exception being Wrath."

"Excuse me?"

"It is a radical Christian periodical which prophesises the end of the world and rallies against sins of all nature."

"And you're telling me this at this hour of the morning because...?"

"Given the majority of the coverage has been positive, I thought you would appreciate an alternative view."

"From a nut-job magazine? No thank you. And haven't we talked about your habit of being too helpful?"

"Yes sir. I believe your precise words were 'Jarvis, you're being too helpful. And you can't stop being too helpful by trying to be more helpful'."

"Exactly."

"Yes sir. And you have two hundred and thirty seven messages."

"Anything important?"

"They are from people inquiring after the identity of your partner and your sexuality with varying degrees of interest, hostility and might I say suggestive curiosity."

"Delete them. Wait, anything from Pepper?"

"Yes sir. She asks that you call her the minute you're sober."

"Rhodey?"

"No sir."

_Ah_. Tony felt a slight stab of foreboding and anger all rolled into one. But the man was hardly savvy with media gossip. It was entirely possible that the news wouldn't cross Rhodey's radar for another few days.

_Or maybe this was a 'don't ask, don't return calls' situation._

"Any from SHIELD or the Avengers?"

"No sir."

"Now, I think that's suspicious. Don't you think that's suspicious?"

"I was surprised, sir."

"Jarvis, things could be better for me right now. But hell if things aren't fucking amazing. You know what that means?"

"No, sir, but I would be interested in hearing the answer."

"It means Loki makes the shit things a little less shit."

"Very romantic, sir. Would you like me to remind you of the sentiment come next Valentine's Day? You always struggle with what to put in the card."

Tony pulled out the hair dye touch up pen and paused. He let his hand drop, staring at himself in the reflection. He had been preoccupied lately, what with the suspension and the run up to building the AOTS. He hadn't noticed the grey creeping back. Loki must have though.

He raised the pen, paused, and let his hand drop again.

"Would you like me to draw up some instructions, sir?"

"Again, too helpful."

"Apologies sir. Also, Agent Romanoff and Dr Banner are outside."

"Raise the drawbridge."

"We don't have one, sir."

"We should have a drawbridge."

"I shall begin drawing up plans straight away."

Tony sighed and fumbled in a draw for the tube. A moment later, Loki appeared. "Morning, love."

"Hey. You seen the news? No of course not. Forget I asked, stupid question. Nat and Bruce are outside."

Loki waited, as though he expected Tony to continue. Then he asked slowly, "And you want me to get rid of them?"

"No."

"Then what?"

"Well unless they're here with a picnic basket, I think I'm about to get a scolding. Jarvis, picnic basket?"

"None that I can see, sir."

Tony turned his gaze back on Loki. "Ever heard of something called moral support?"

"I am afraid I will be very little use to you there, pet. But I will gladly offer you immoral support."

Tony snorted a laugh. "What's gotten into you?"

Loki smiled. "I'm..." He just shook his head.

"The word is happy."

"Not a word I have had great use of in recent decades to be sure."

"What did I say that made you laugh last night?"

"You said so many things that made me laugh. But you might have made some joke involving sex on the Asgardian throne which had me particularly joyous."

Tony grimaced as he remembered. "I say the stupidest things when I'm hammered." Tony walked towards the door, feeling Loki follow. He paused, his arms stretched out, holding the doorframe as he looked at Loki. "There's grey in my hair."

Loki tilted his head slightly and reached out, running his fingers through the hair, judging the flecks of grey with an analytical air. "Yes."

"Do you mind?" Tony asked. When no answer was forthcoming, he added, "I can touch them up. Get rid of them."

Loki seemed to consider this question from all angles before answering. "No. No leave them. I like them."

"It makes me look old. You want me to be your boy? These make me look old."

"Do you want to dye them?"

"I'm asking you."

"And I've already given you my answer."

"I don't want you to think I'm old."

Loki laughed, open and honestly. "I assure you that is never going to happen."

"Alright, so you'll rip all the body hair off me, but let me turn grey?"

Loki sighed wearily in a tone parents around the world would recognise. "Tony, I'm not a complete monster. My nature is not entirely perverted. I would never use a child. But you are my pet, and _boy_ is as much of an arousal for you as it is for me. I like to play with you, but you are still Tony Stark. Besides, the grey is ever so dignified."

"Sir, forgive the interruption, but Agent Romanoff would like me to convey the message that she is coming in, through the door or through the glass. The choice is yours."

"I'd choose the glass," Loki offered helpfully.

"Yeah you would." Tony walked down the steps and out into the main room and, with a fairly substantial amount of trepidation, opened the door to Natasha and Bruce.

Natasha pushed in. "You're a fucking moron Tony Stark."

"And good morning to you too, Red."

"I can't believe you two did that, you complete and utter eblan."

"She's calling you an idiot."

"Yes. Thank you Bruce. I'd actually gathered."

Nat was suddenly nose to nose with him. Despite the fact the woman was shorter than him, it still gave Tony a start. "SHIELD is not here as your personal babysitters. We're not here to fix your every screw up."

"Are you channelling Fury here?"

"Fury is still so angry we haven't yet peeled him off the ceiling. That's why I'm here instead of him."

Loki had slunk into the room like an over large cat. He rested against a wall and watched with almost idle curiosity.

Bruce met his eye now. "SHIELD's been working hard since the images got out."

"And a heads up might have been nice," Nat snapped angrily.

"Fortunately, the general public never got accurate images of Loki, you know when-"

"He was busy trying to murder everyone in New York," Natasha supplied heatedly.

"Er. Yeah." Bruce coughed slightly. "Then. But the horns and armour, yeah. That everyone knows. I mean, who's going to remember what colour a guy's eyes are when they're looking at that get up?"

Tony's eyes flickered over to Loki who was smiling appreciatively. Of course, that would be the point of the armour wouldn't it? To create an image, an icon. The man himself was incidental. The world knew the Trickster God, not Loki.

Natasha cut over Bruce again. "The public press we can deal with, but the directors! The people who know, Tony, they're livid."

"What they going to do? Suspend me more? I don't even know if I even want to go back into the Avengers at this point, Red."

_Liar._

_I know that's a lie, Loki definitely knows it's a lie and from the way Bruce is looking at me he knows it too. Hell, even Natasha probably knows.__  
_  
"This was going to come out eventually," Tony said. "But now, instead of running to keep up, we can be ahead of it."

"Tony, this isn't easy. There are people in SHIELD who know Loki - soldiers, agents. People who lost friends in the attack on the Helicarrier. They're not happy this was hidden from them and they're not happy about your relationship."

"Yeah, I know the people you're talking about. The ones who _still_ walk out the room when Barton comes in, right?"

"Don't you dare-"

"I don't care about anyone's happiness but my own. My love life is none of their business."

"Don't be such a selfish little jerk, you know it doesn't work like that. The pair of you; no more public appearances. Or I will personally hunt you both down and remove every organ you own." Natasha glared at Loki. "We've got you a name."

"My darling, I've had thousands."

"And an identity," she carried on, ignoring Loki's smirk. "And we've got the weight of SHIELD - this identity is going to be bullet proof. Unlike Hammer's."

"Thank-"

"Save it, Tony." Natasha opened the bag she had been carrying and pushed a large envelop into Tony's hands. "Birth certificate, passport; a dossier of Michael Janus."

"Great. Whose bright idea was it to give him a name that basically boils down to two-faced god?"

"I thought people deserved a warning," snarled Natasha.

"Does it really?" Loki asked delightedly, taking the pack from Tony and thumbing through the documents. "Oh how marvellous."

Tony hauled back on his anger as he realised his god was pleased with it. He'd save an argument with the assassin for something important.

"He's British, he's applying for a green card, so he can't leave the country from this point on. If SHIELD gets one photo of him anywhere but the USA, we'll send it straight to the Home Office and make him the target of every law enforcement officer in the country."

"You'll set citizens on a psycho god of trickery? Good call."

"And every death will be on your hands," Natasha said with a smile.

Tony paused, the momentous reality of that crashing down on his head like a bucket of ice water. _Fuck._ _I mean… fucking fuck fuck. They don't need a security team for Loki, they're putting it all on me. They expect me to control him. Fucking fuck._ Tony nodded wordlessly.

"We can't have him also working for Hammer, what with the phantom Lockley still floating around. So he works for Rave Communications."

"Rave Communications?"

Natasha smiled. "Call centre."

"You're having a lot of fun with this, aren't you?"

"Oh more than you could possibly imagine. I wanted to make him a janitor but Thor walked in and put his foot down."

_Thank you Thor._

"Never heard of Rave-"

"It's a SHIELD front, for when we need to give agents undercover identities. There's a local branch in Santa Monica. Loki should pop in and out every so often and you need to pick up him from there at least once. Got it?"

"Yeah."

"We're going to sell this identity. We're going to make this solid. The whole world is going to believe Tony Stark is dating Michael Janus. And if you fuck with us one more time, Tony Stark, SHIELD will make the truth known. You understand?"

"After a speech like that, Don Romanoff, you really should have ended with capiche-"

"Stark!"

"Yes, yes! I understand! Jeez. What if I offer my boyfriend a job in my company?"

"I will personally come round and pound your head into your desk."

"Good to know."

Behind Natasha, Bruce was looking not a little terrified. Tony was sure the image had to be reflected in his own face. In the corner, Loki chuckled.

"Keep it to yourself, Rudolph," Natasha snapped. "Do you both understand what you're going to do?"

Tony nodded. Loki smirked.

"You're going to stick to the script, Stark, radi lyubvi k Bogu!"

"Bless you." Tony back-peddled quickly as the red head whipped around, murder in her eyes.

Bruce waited until Natasha had marched out, throwing one last irate look at Loki. Then the doctor took his glasses off, slowly rubbed with the hem of his jacket and said, "You know, my immediate reaction was that Loki had put you in this position. Tricked you into this."

"Bruce-"

"But I watched the footage online. I heard the reporter ask about the Avengers." Bruce shook his head disbelievingly. "It was a... A hell of a distraction Tony. Couldn't you just have... I don't know. Sung a song or something?"

"No. I have enough issues with people believing I'm gay without putting on a musical."

Bruce turned now to Loki. "When Tony first started going out with you... Lockley. We thought it was amazing how you pulled him back on risking his life. The reckless risks he took. But here it is again."

"But manageable," Loki said smoothly. "I do not care if he risks his position in the Avengers, his friends or reputation. So long as he lives, I do not care."

"Maybe you should care," Bruce said. "There's more to a life than just being alive."

Loki sneered but didn't answer.

"Bruce, you're mad. I get it. But you can't tell me this wasn't the right thing to do."

"The fact it was hidden so long is a wonder to me. And it's easy to say 'why couldn't we have kept up Lockley for the press?' Sooner or later something would have happened and you would have been caught with Loki in his real form and then we're all running to keep up. You're right. But you should have come to us first. Doing it like that was unfair on all of us. You know how I found out? Mrs Allowitz."

Tony frowned. "Who's Mrs Allowitz?"

"My neighbour upstairs. With the six cats. Said how wonderful it was, that the young man I'm friends with has the courage of his convictions. That's not fair, Tony. Not to know you were going to pull a stunt like that. It caught us all on the back foot. I don't even want to get into what Steve said. He went on a run early this morning and saw the papers on the way past the stand and probably had a heart attack. Barton fired an arrow at the TV and Fury, I'm fairly sure, is having a conniption."

_Great. Now I'm feeling guilty.__  
_  
"And Thor?"

Bruce shrugged. "Once he had his reassurances that no one so far realised who Loki was, he didn't much care about anything else. He was more angry at the suggestion that Loki's cover identity be, as he put it, a 'domestic servant'."

Tony glanced around. "I... Uhm. I have this idea for a repulsor beam for the AOTS."

"Tony-"

"And, er, I'm not saying I need you to help me out with it because you're a chemist, not an engineer, but things just tend to go, you know, more smoothly when I have someone to show off to."

"You could just apologise."

"I'm _trying_," Tony said helpless.

Bruce shook his head and sighed. "What sort of repulsor beam?"

"You're going to love it. It's a repulsor beam like what I have on my suits. But bigger. And more focused. So instead of missiles and machine guns on the AOTS, it could fire a beam of pure energy. Cleaner, more directed than a bomb with less environmental fall out."

Bruce gave a helpless little laugh as he followed Tony towards the steps down to the lab. "There is no repulsor beam, is there? You just completely made that up off the top of your head to get me to stay."

"Yeah, I did. But it's an amazing idea, isn't it? Let's build it."

"What about-"

"Oh don't mind him. He'll find somewhere in the lab to curl up with a book."


	57. Chapter 57: Diner Dilemma

A week into the suspension and Tony had left Malibu. He couldn't bare the idea of sitting around sulking. He couldn't bare the idea of waiting for Loki to turn up every day. Not that he didn't want the man to, only that he didn't want to spend his time thinking about it.

It made sense. At least in Tony's head it did.

Tony was working overseeing the bulkhead of the new transport carrier. The factory was hidden away in the middle of nowhere in Arizona. Tony was sitting in an office which over looked the hanger were the transport was being slowly put together by a few engineers from Stark Industries he trusted while tinkered with the programming of a potential auto pilot.

Outside his window, his creation was coming alive. This was a glorious moment for Tony; when his conception became reality.

Tony looked up as Molly knocked efficiently on the door. "Mr Stark."

"My name," the billionaire groaned, "is Tony."

"Yes Mr Stark. There is a gentleman here to see you."

"Does he have a name you refuse to get right?"

"Mr Janus."

"Shit."

"I beg your pardon?" Molly said in a reproving tone.

"Fuck."

"Mr Stark, that is not professional language and I should not have to listen to it in a work environment."

Tony didn't have time for his insane PA's sensibilities. "Where is he?"

Molly gave him a withering look, as though it should be obvious. "Mr Janus is waiting. In the waiting room."

Tony thought quickly. But both the waiting room and his office had windows that opened up into the hanger. Public. Way too public, but where wasn't? "Just... Send him in here."

"Yes sir."

As the woman left, Tony realised that he was fixing his hair and stopped, scalding himself.

"Jarvis, let's dim the windows."

"It would be advisable, sir."

Jarvis came with him everywhere. Jarvis was in his phone, his tower, his company, some of his more modern cars. That's why Asgard was a no go, no matter what happened with Loki. Tony was earth bound.

Tony grabbed his light pad, swung his legs up onto his desk in a casual, elegant, aloof manner, and made a show of concentrating on his work as Loki was shown in. "Don't tell me - you were just passing by?" Tony asked vaguely, his eyes focused on the programming in front of him.

"I have just had half a day of _obligations_," Loki sighed, slumping down in a chair and rubbing his face exhaustedly.

Tony glanced up when Loki wasn't looking. He was wearing dark jeans with a dark green long sleeved t-shirt, the arms pushed up the forearms and a dark, causal jacket.

_Fuck he's sexy.__  
_  
"The rigmarole and dogma of the Asgardian courts is not an aspect I have ever, will ever miss. Officially presented to the court, crimes absolved, reclaim my title, reclaim my heritage. Tributes to All Father. Tribute to Thor. Public apologies. Honour of Asgard, duty, faith, reciprocity, repentance... Ah!" Loki made a noise of frustration and muttered, "It baffles me the man still believes that a word from him is as the mountains to me; solid and eternal. Ha! He is an old fool with a soldier's attitude to everything."

Tony looked up with raised eyebrows.

Loki noticed and laughed gently. He rolled his eyes and said, "Now, let's see... How can I put this so you would understand? I've been grounded."

"Really?"

"They cannot prevent me from visiting Midgard," Loki said, bitterly. "Not without implicitly allowing your horrible, agonising death."

"Thanks."

"But I am limited to your residence in Malibu, your side or my brother's."

Slowly but surely, the world around them was not only trying to break in and destroy their relationship, but at the same time, was forcing them closer and closer together. Tony and Loki could not be separated by realms for too long without Tony suffering. Loki couldn't wander the Earth without Tony there thanks to Odin. And they couldn't now leave the country thanks to SHIELD. It frustrated Tony immensely…

While being exactly what Loki wants…

He might be complaining, but was that for show? _He's getting everything he wants._

Tony pretended to be more intent on his light pad than the god and asked idly, "What did old Thor have to say about that?"

Loki glared darkly. "Oh my brother is positively brimming with noble stoicism. So willing to be the loving brother. Oaf."

Tony smirked internally at Loki's angry air; he was furious at his father and his verdict. There was an electricity about him. Tony recognized the atmosphere. His god was scheming. "You'll find a way around it."

"Will I?"

"Of course. You're you. Are you telling me you've only _just_ been grounded?"

"Nothing happens quickly in Asgard."

"And you are just so damn quick. You're like… an Asgardian Hummingbird."

Loki raised an eyebrow.

"Look them up. In fact, I think some of them may even look like you. What about... er... Rave Communications?"

"I walked in yesterday morning, walked out yesterday evening and got in a taxi. Shouldn't be too difficult to convince people I came here from Santa Monica if it came up. The timings work out well."

"You're putting more effort into this than I thought you would." _He seems to care more about the illusion than I do, but then he would, wouldn't he? SHIELD hasn't grasped this yet, but try to make Loki be honest and you're in for a world of hurt. But give him a lie to spin, then he's a kid with a new toy._ "What does Rave look like?"

"Much like the lab I first arrived at after my deal with Thanos. Where I first encountered your Director Fury. A number of soldiers and equipment, all clearly resentful of my presence, I'm pleased to say. I did not stay for any time, however. I used it as a departure point back to Asgard."

"Glad you're making it work." _Thank you for making it work. Thank you for doing it for me._

_He's not doing it for you._

_He's never doing anything for one reason. One of the hundred reasons he __has for __currently behaving is me. That's good enough._

"There were a great deal of paparazzi outside the building when I left."

"Really?"

"All rather instant ladies and gentlemen keen to know what Tony Stark is like in the bedroom."

"And what did you tell them?"

"I told them that the last time we made love, I brought you to climax without touching your cock." Loki smirked at Tony's flinch. "That was a joke, Tony."

"Dickhead."

Loki smiled broadly, made a complex movement and a book simmered into existence in his hand. They sat in silence as both focused on their own work, though both snuck subversive looks at one another.

Tony threw down the pad once more, his eyes burning with the strain. "Fuck it."

"Tony," Loki muttered scolding.

"You and Molly should start a club," Tony snapped.

"Mrs Devon? Nice woman, I like her."

Tony stared. "She's married?"

"To an Arthur Devon who works at home as a cartoonist for the New York Times. He is their son's primary carer."

"Son?"

"Jonathan Devon. Johnny. He's been causing problems at school recently, but his mother believes it to be just a 'phase'. I was not entirely sure what was meant by that."

Tony gaped. He'd never even considered the woman had a life outside of... Well... She was the kind of person you'd imagine just stepped into a cupboard at the end of the working day and was there first thing next day. "How old is she?"

"Tony, we don't ask that question of women. It's not polite."

Tony glared at the sudden gentlemen in front of him. "And how do you know all this?"

"I've spoken with her. More than once, in fact, as both Lockley and myself."

"Since when do you care?"

Loki looked up with a stern look. "Engineer, computer programmer, genius innovator. Do you read new science papers? Do you spend your time expanding what you know in your field? Do you spend your time in labs, creating, learning? Well, I listen. I talk. People are my science."

"And you play them so well. Like Odin, and Thor. And me."

Loki gave him a calculatedly blank look and returned to his book.

"You're just... One minute you're a gentlemen, then you're a psycho god, then you're forcing me to the ground and fucking me like a toy, then you're treating me like something precious. I just don't fucking understand you."

Loki just turned a page delicately.

Tony shook his head and rubbed his face. "I can't work anymore."

Loki glanced up with a knowing smile. "Shall I bend you over your desk?"

"No," Tony snapped. He sighed and stood, walking round to the door. He pulled it open and called out, "Molly! Tell Happy to get the car. Lo-Michael and I are going into town."

They drove into town which was mercifully so small and so out of the way the number of glances his way were few. Honestly, it was almost as though Tony were just a normal guy. Absurd, obviously. It was strange to be walking into a restaurant with Loki in his usual form, but he had point blank refused to change into a woman.

"What have we to fear now?" he asked.

"No hanky-panky then," Tony said warningly.

Loki just rolled his eyes.

They sat, a little table in a tacky diner tucked away behind a cheap hotel. It was old and dusty, wall paper peeling from the wall and mousetraps hidden in the corners of the room. A gum-chewing waitress came over and handed them menus before attending to another table.

Loki's attitude was noticeably different to the last time they had gone out to dinner.

Loki didn't open his menu. "Go ahead, Tony. I have no preference."

"You're acting weird today," Tony said suspiciously. "I'm never certain with you. I'm never able to relax. I like that."

"I know you do."

Tony felt the smile tug at his lips.

"What is happening with the transport?"

Tony shrugged. "What can I say? It's a work of sheer genius and incomparable beauty. It's going to make anything Boeing could make look like a flying tin can."

Loki watched with glittering eyes, enjoying Tony's passionate exposition. Tony finished with a sigh. "It's almost a pity SHIELD's getting it."

"It's a good move, Tony. Trust me. It will force them to remember your necessity to their success."

Loki took a long drink of water and watched their fellow diners for some time.

Tony swallowed. _Some things should just be said._ "I honestly don't know what I might have become without you." Despite the tender moment, Tony pulled his hand away from Loki reaching fingers. "Seriously, we're in 'salt of the earth' territory here. They would be more accepting of you being an alien than two guys touching."

Loki seemed to consider it. Then he smiled like a tiger. It made Tony's body all sorts of excited. "Then I shall simply have to reduce the number of people in here."

Tony glared. "How?" He asked suspiciously.

"Shh, my love. Relax and enjoy your evening. I shall take care of our dilemma. If I succeed, I shall feed you desert. We agree?"

Tony swallowed, shifting slightly as his body woke up. "Sure."

Loki smiled even broader. "Let's start with the most... Unimaginative trick." Loki waved his hand, almost lazily.

There was a scream and Tony's head whipped around. A woman was stumbling back from the table, her chair clattering to the ground.

"Cockroach!" She shrieked hysterically. The woman and her date left the restaurant in revulsion. As had two other tables in mutual disgust.

Tony shook his head, a smile forming on his face. "Fuck. You need a hobby."

"This is my hobby," Loki protested mildly.

Tony was beginning to regret his earlier reluctance. How easy would it be now to drag Loki into the bathroom, push him up against the door of the cubicle and suck him dry? It's not like the god would object, after all.

The playboy fought against the urge. Because the game was set - Loki against the world and Tony was the prize. All Tony could do was hope he won.

_Of course he will.__  
_  
"What did you do?"

"Whether it's my being or people's perception, I can create illusion."

"You know, I can't remember you ever answering a question properly," Tony sulked.

The waitress came over again, pencil posed against paper. "What can I get you guys?" She asked.

Tony gave her the order and as she was writing it down, Loki shook his head. "You were right, Tony. Some guys just have that sort of mind when it comes to _their women_, don't they?"

Tony opened his mouth to ask what the hell he was on about when the waitress looked up, eyes narrow. "What?" she demanded.

"I'm sorry. It's none of our business, obviously. We were just talking about the man who showed us to the table. Your boyfriend? If I were you," Loki said in a friendly, compassionate voice, "I wouldn't let him treat you like that. Asking you to stop working, it's ridiculous. Just because your current state." Loki gave an apologetic smile. "As I say, none of our business, but Tony and I where just saying it's just sexism. Isn't it, Tony?"

"What?"

"That utter fucking-" the waitress broke off, smiled artificially and left the table. She stormed into the kitchens like a hurricane and seconds later the restaurant was subjected to the entertainment of a blazing row coming from the next room.

"I don't know what you're-"

"And now you're telling the customers! You complete and utter over controlling fucking son of a bitch I'm going to kill you!"

Several diners who had been about to order desert now paid the bill and left hurriedly.

As the yelling continued, Tony didn't even bother to ask, just raised an eyebrow.

"I heard the two arguing on the way in. The fact that the woman is working while pregnant with his child seems to be a point of contention between the two."

"I didn't hear any argument."

"No my love, but you are so blind to that which does not run on electricity."

Tony rolled his eyes as another table, clearly uncomfortable with the screaming now asked for their bill.

"Such a beautiful boy I have," Loki crooned, staring at Tony and seemingly blind and deaf to the mayhem around him. "I have trodden the all lands of the Nine Realms, taken my pleasure from creatures you couldn't even imagine and lived a thousand years. And yet it is you who have set my world a flame. Such a delicate little toy, I am going to love and play with you for the rest of time."

Tony shuddered slightly from the weight of his praise and jumped as Loki's leg brushed against his.

"And what happens when I disappoint you like I disappoint everyone else?"_ Fuck! Where did that come from? That's the thing you're supposed to think not say, Tony!_

"You can't disappoint me, Tony. So put that from your mind here and now. I know the best of you. I know the worst of you. Every inch of you. You're mine."

Tony became suddenly aware that there was an argument going on behind him. He turned slightly, keen to put a little distance between him and this rather uncomfortable conversation. And from the green eyes that were staring at him, into him, touching him without contact.

There was a women standing next to a table, screaming at a man sitting there for cheating on her as, what looked like the man's wife sitting opposite. The woman stormed out. The wife slapped the man and marched.

Tony turned back to Loki. "Don't tell me that you're over there too?"

Loki looked innocent, which was always a bad sign.

"That's cruel."

"Don't feel sorry for him. He is a philanderer."

"How do you know?"

Loki shrugged. "Tell enough lies and you begin to be able to taste them. See them in the air. He's an adulterer. Besides, any lie can be told, but only the ones that have bases in reality actually work. Accuse a good man of being a thief, people ignore the lie. Accuse a thief of a crime they did not commit, who would not believe? Most lies only work when they're true."

Tony risked a glance back. The scene behind him had ended with the man chasing after his wife and now there were only six tables still filled.

The main courses were placed in front of them; steak and chips.

"And what of the time that I disappoint you? Surely you agree that is more likely to happen than you disappointing me?"

Yeah, probably.

"I'm sure I'll be able to think of some way of you redeeming yourself," Tony said briskly.

They ate in silence, Tony's body tense, almost waiting for the mischief. Loki waved a hand. A waiter tripped and emptied a bowl of soup over a customer. A few minutes later, another wave; there was a tremendous crash and a couple who had just walked in ran back out to find the sign of the restaurant had fallen and smashed through the roof of their car.

"I do hope you're not going to cry, Tony."

"Nah. Terrible car. Best thing for it."

That of course meant the restaurant manager had to go out to deal with it. Then a couple next to their table found something wrong with their food - not Loki inspired, they just seemed to be your regular whiny customers out for a free meal.

Loki however, took full advantage of that, leaning over to recommend taking their compliant directly to the manager as the restaurant was apparently on the brink of a lawsuit and would be prepared to pay out anything to keep customers happy.

_Which is a lie. Duh. _

The couple left to get into a shouting match with the manager outside.

What with the sign falling, his unmanageable staff, a cockroach and now the complaining customers from hell, it wasn't long before a police car pulled up and took the manager away for punching the difficult customer. That left the staff in disarray so another table left in frustration as they couldn't get any service.

There were two tables left. Make that one as the family at the far side of the room got up to leave after what must have been a thoroughly entertaining evening. Tony could feel his heart actually pounding in his chest.

"Well, this has been fun. We should do it again sometime," Tony sighed, finishing a chip from Loki's place.

Loki turned green, wicked eyes on the last table. Tony stretched out a hand and soothed a thumb over Loki's wrist. "Leave them," he said. "Come on, man. You've won. We'll play. You don't have to do anything more."

Loki looked back and seemed to relent. "Maybe. Kiss me."

And here it was. Kissing a man in public for the first time. Tony swallowed, licked his lips nervously and leaned in. It actually wasn't as mortifying as he had thought. The minute the man's tongue slipped between Tony's lips, his mind had turned to candy floss. Sweet and clawing and insubstantial. He hummed into the mouth enjoyably.

Loki leaned back and gestured to a waiter. "We'll have the Chocolate Sunday. To share."

Loki hadn't lied. The god fed spoonful after spoonful of ice cream into Tony's willing mouth, growling under his breath whenever Tony's hand instinctively raised from the table to try and take the spoon. The god occasionally leaned in to lap at the chocolate lingering on Tony's lips and Tony felt himself growing harder and harder. Under the table, the god's hand stroked back and forth across Tony's thigh.

"Good boy," Loki purred as Tony took another bite.

There had been some dark, abusive comments from the remaining table of three men left in the now deserted restaurant. All the words you'd expect. But they had left pretty quickly as the window behind them had shattered, showering them in broken glass.

Tony saw them running to their car, which inexplicably lurched backwards and rammed a lamppost. It ruined the SUV, but the occupants just looked terrified and busied.

"That's evil," Tony scolded.

"That's right, my pet," Loki soothed. "Aren't you glad I love you?"

Tony had to hold back his laughter as another spoonful was pushed past his lips.

_This is amazing. __I don't even really like chocolate.__  
_  
Tony shivered as Loki leaned back in to run his tongue around Tony's lips again. "Sweet," the god whispered.

"You have to fuck me," Tony whimpered.

"All in good time," Loki soothed, kissing Tony's hot neck. Tony gasped in response.

They paid the bill and, on almost shaky legs, Loki led his weak with desire boy back to the car park. But instead of getting in the limo, he pushed Tony down onto a low wall and told him to sit still. Tony watched as he had a discussion with Hogan, which lead to the man, none too happily, leaving without them.

Not long after that, Tony found himself standing blurrily as Loki got them a room at a cheap hotel behind the diner. Unable to stay patient any longer, Tony pulled Loki into the elevator, pushing him against the mirrored wall and plundering his mouth hard as he plucked at the man's clothes.

Loki's arms wrapped around his frantic boy, a hand stroking and soothing as Tony humped desperately. "Loki, fuck Loki, Loki," Tony whimpered.

The doors dinged open. A man stepped in, hesitating as Loki snapped in a commanding tone, "No."

The baffled man stumbled back out and the doors closed. Tony leaned up and latched lips onto the pale neck. "I love it when you're bad."

Loki chuckled, holding his boy in his arms as Tony moved continuously against the tall, lean figure. "I need this, I need to feel."

"Oh you'll feel," Loki sighed happily. "I promise you that."

They stumbled from the elevator, Tony letting himself be steered until he was rammed up against a wall. Loki's hand slipped into his trousers. Right there in the corridor of the hotel.

Tony bleated his cries as the fingers prodded and stroked and he heard the chuckling murmur in his ear. "Is this for me, boy? I'm I the cause of such heat?"

"Yes! Yes!" Tony gasped.

"Why?"

"You're my god, my perfect god."

"Say 'my god' again."

"My-"

"No."

Tony shuddered, confused, trying to think. Trying to give Loki what he wanted. Then it hit him. "Minn guð," he whispered desperately. "Minn guð, minn guð, minn guð!"

He started in shock as the wall behind him moved. As he fell backwards, he realised he had been against the door. Loki grabbed his arm, pulling him up like a child and ramming him up once again against the other side of the now locked door. Skilled hands pulled the trousers open until they fallen around Tony's ankles.

Tony was turned and pushed back, one of Loki's hands pumping his raging erection, the other creating a steady rhythm of smacks against his backside. Tony laughed and whimpered in glorious pleasure, his hips working hard into Loki's fist, his ass rising to meet the smacks.

"Fuck, only you," Tony said in a panting laugh as his body burned with need. He couldn't stop the breathy laughter as Loki continued.

"Tell me who you belong to," he commanded.

Tony snorted. "How 'bout you just show me who I belong to?"

Tony yelped as he was pulled back and thrown on the bed. Loki pounced and ripped the remaining clothes from Tony's body. Seconds later, powerful arms were gripping him tight as Loki forced his way in. The lack of preparation only made things so much more exciting.

Tony hissed and growled as he was stretched hard, then worked his body back; setting a vigorous pace Loki was only too happy to meet. He gazed at Loki's white body, at the hazy green eyes, at his own feet making circles in the air, at their reflection in the old TV.

"Fuck yes, fuck yes," Tony muttered desperately as his whole body shuddered with frantic energy.

"Oh my boy," Loki crooned delightedly.

They could have gone anywhere. With Loki's warping powers, they could have gone back to Malibu. They could have gone to their secret home. But they hadn't. They were in a cheap, dirty hotel, fucking in a bed which had been used for this purpose a hundred times before.

_God yes, this is perfect.__  
_  
"Urh!" Tony arched his body, driving his hips faster.

That was the binding at work. It was deep, more pleasurable, more amazing than Tony had ever known it. And he was lasting longer, able to sit at the point of climax for longer, seeing the world around him grow brighter and brighter, shattering into strange new hues.

Tony was staring at the ceiling, but not seeing, hearing his uncontrollable whining, but not listening.

The pair only recovered some awareness that they were part of a wider world when a loud banging and muffled yell came from the wall their headboard was currently hammering against.

Loki rutted Tony hard, ignoring their annoyed neighbour. Tony looked up at the wall behind his head, his neck arching back so he could see. Delightedly, Loki took full advantage of the exposed flesh, bent down and sucked hard on the skin.

"No hickys," Tony laughed in a gasp. "They're going to... Fuck! Oh, harder! Complain to... urg, front desk."

"Let them," Loki muttered.

Tony hands left Loki's arms and travelled his own chest, touching and stroking himself. Loki's eyes danced, loving the display beneath him.

"I feel so free with you," Tony crooned.

Loki yowled in his throat and pushed harder. There was a loud snap and the bed fell forward. Tony yelled out in bliss at the moment only forced Loki in deeper. Another snap and the last two legs collapsed and the bed dropped down.

Tony blurrily saw the headboard falling toward him, but Loki stopped it before it knocked Tony out, pushing it aside. Tony's hands reached out to touch Loki, only to be knocked away. "Lie there and be still! Be still child! Accept the pleasure and the pain because there's nothing else you can do."

"Not true. I can scream. And I'm probably gonna," Tony grunted.

"Scream all you want, boy."

They were close now; Tony felt his toes pointing, his back arching as every muscle tensed in expectation. "Close," he panted.

"Yes. A little longer."

"Can't!"

Loki laughed breathlessly. "A runt of a Jotun, the never-King, the failed villain," Loki kissed Tony deeply, his eyes remaining open to stare into hazel ones. "Perhaps this is my purpose. You."

Tony shuddered in climax, his mouth open in a silent yell as hands flew out, clutching violently at the bed sheets as his body arched off the bed. His seed splashed against Loki's stomach. Tony's eyes, a second before wide and staring now closed as every muscle relaxed. He slumped back as Loki came quickly after that.

They clung to each other, hot, panting and sticky, both smiling and content.

As ever, Loki was the first to recover his senses. "Turn over," he croaked.

Tony obeyed with a certain amount of grumbling for being woken from his post-orgasmic haze.

When he was on his side, Loki moved round so they were spooning, Tony fitting perfectly into Loki's form. Arms held him, Loki's face buried in his hair. Tony laughed gently, "We broke another one."

"I care not."

"You're not the one who has to pay for them," Tony mumbled as he fell asleep.

The next morning was… awkward. Tony was in the shower when he heard the door knock. He cringed and decided that just for today, he was going to hide. On the other side of the door, Loki must be getting the clothes Hogan or Molly were bringing as Loki had torn Tony's off the night before.

Happy or Molly wouldn't be able to _not notice_ the shattered bed.

Tony grimaced and reached for the soap. Not today, he didn't want to deal with that.

The door shut and after a second, the bathroom door opened. "I have your clothes, Tony."

"Who brought them?"

"The driver. Does it matter?"

"I want to know who I'm avoiding eye contact with today," Tony muttered.

Loki sat down on the closed lid of the toilet and rested his eyes on Tony.

Tony carried on until he couldn't ignore it any more. "What?"

"Please, do not stop," Loki crooned.

Tony rolled his eyes and carried on, bending his every thought into ignoring Loki. He dried off and pulled on the clothes Loki handed him. Then Loki grabbed his arms and pushed him against a wall.

"I just had a shower," Tony complained.

"Hum," Loki agreed. "And you taste so sweet." Lips were focused on his neck; hands were stroking his stomach through the fabric.

"I want to get back to the AOTS."

Loki pulled back, kissed him deeply and let him go. "You go. I shall deal with the bill."

"Oh yeah? And how exactly will you pay?"

"Who says I was going to pay?"

"Bad boy." Tony pulled his wallet out and handed over a card. "Lucky I set this up then. Bank account. Your name. Used those papers SHIELD got us to get you a couple of things including a bank account and dumped some money in there. This is a credit card. Would you like me to show you how to use it?"

"Do not push my good mood, boy."

"You just slide it in," Tony purred, running the card down Loki's chest. "Not hard."

"Not yet," Loki purred, his hand getting ever to close.

Tony pushed away. "You coming to the lab afterwards?"

"I have to… go see someone."

"Who?"

"Doom."

Tony felt the flinch run through him as one foot hovered. Then he took the step forward out into the corridor. "Oh?"

"Doom has been creating plans for another attack. I believe. His attentions are unclear, but he's getting ready to make some sort of move I'm sure."

"So you'd rather go play with Doom than hang out with me?" _Way to sound like a teenage girl._

"You'd rather go tinker with a machine than come to my bed?"

"Touché."


	58. Chapter 58: 12 Red Flags

"And here, to accept the Bose Award on his late father's behalf is Howard Stark's son, Tony Stark."

Tony walked up on the mini stage, smiled at the woman in the low cut dress and took the engraved crystal obolisic award with no small amount of bad grace. He smiled at the audience. "Well, I'm sure if my old man could be here, he'd be absolutely thrilled to add this cheap, inane, tacky glass… er… thing to his Nobel Prize, the Werner von Siemens Ring, two Wright Brothers Medals and a Lomonosov Gold Medal. I mean, are you fucking kidding me? He's been dead over twenty years. I saved the world from alien attacks three times in _the last year_."

The room, full of honourable members of the scientific community and an entire bank of cameras, was completely silent.

Tony tapped the microphone. "Is this on? Yeah, so, anyway. Thank you, on Howard Stark's behalf."

Half an hour later, Tony Stark was to be found in the sports bar down the road, drinking his body weight in scotch. Loki was gonna be pissed off this evening. The Yankees were playing the Mets. Tony spared half a brain to listen in to the play by play, but it was a distraction more than anything else.

He felt a tap on the shoulder. "Hell of a speech, Tony."

"I don't remember. Was it good?" Tony said.

Behind him, a hand reached out and took the crystal award off the bar where Tony had been using it for a coaster. "Do you know who else has received this award?" Rhodey sat on a bar stall besides him.

"Do you?" Tony scoffed.

"I Googled. Sir Edward Victor Appleton, Neil Ashby, Robert Adler-"

"If it looks like I'm ignoring you, it's because I am."

"It's quite a list."

"I'm sure if he wasn't dead, he'd be proud." Tony finished his glass and gestured to the barman, whose attention was fixed on the screen. "Hey, refill," Tony called.

"It's only been given out posthumously twice and that's including today."

"Hey!" Tony shouted. Apart from the commenter and roar of the crowd from the television, the bar had gone silent. Everywhere he went seemed to be going silent lately. "Finally," Tony said. "Paying customer over here. Make with the alcohol."

The eyes of the bar turned back to the screen and the low buzz of chatter began again. The barman came over with narrowed eyes. Tony raised his eyebrows. "Gosh, sorry, am I dragging you away from something?"

"Don't you think you've had enough?" the man asked.

Tony pulled a face. "There's not two of everything yet, so no. I haven't had enough." Tony watched as the glass was filled and relieved the man of the bottle before he could walk away.

"Are you seriously this jealous of your dead father?" Rhodey demanded.

"This has got nothing to do with the old man."

"Then what?"

"Who knows-hey! Changing the subject completely, I'm sleeping with a guy."

"Yeah."

"You haven't called."

"What was I supposed to call about?" Rhodey asked.

"Is this going to be a problem?"

"Every time you've ever fucked a woman resulted in some problem so I can't see how switching to guys is going to change that so sure. There's probably going to be a problem."

"A problem with you, I meant. You and this."

"Do we have to talk about this? Don't ask, don't tell."

"I'm crazy about him, Rhodey. It's not the guy thing. It's him. I'm not gay, I'm just… just crazy about him."

"Uh-huh. And you'll be crazy about the next one too."

"Not this time, Rhodey. Tony Stark, the married man."

Rhodey thumped his beer down. "Fucking hell, Tony! There are… unwritten rules about these things. You can't just go shooting your mouth off- you want to cut off every military resource? They're not going to like this if you go flaunting it."

"I don't want military resources, _Colonel_. And I haven't in a long time, so save it. I want the opinion of my friend. Or at least the guy I thought was my friend."

"Don't do that. Don't make this about – I don't give a fuck. Just keep it to yourself, what you do in your private life is not my problem. What happened to that girl, that long legged woman in that dress? You were _crazy_ about her. Lockley. That was it. You were crazy about Lockley, so excuse me if assume this is just another in your long line of 'who's up for it next?'"

"Charming."

Rhodey rubbed his chin. "You know, I came here to tell you something. Now I don't think I should."

"Bye bye then."

Rhodey seemed disinclined to move. "I need you to know something. Have you heard about an explosion in Corvallis, Oregon?"

"Nope."

"It was caused by an arc reactor."

Tony paused, then shook his head. "Nah. No arc reactors in Oregon."

"Exactly."

Tony looked at his old friend. Rhodey pulled out his phone and held out a photograph. Tony took it, his world falling even further into a black pit. "That's an arc reactor," he said, his voice hollow.

"Yeah, man. Pretty badly made though."

"No. No not badly made," Tony said. "Redesigned. They've redesigned my arc reactor into a bomb."

Xxx

"I did not expect to find you back in Malibu so soon, my darling."

Tony looked up as Loki slumped down on a chair in the lab next to his light platform where holographic maps and diagrams circled him. He cocked his head to the side, taking in Loki's body language and sighed. "You wanna play who's had the worse day? 'Cos I'm warning you, I'm going to win."

Loki looked up curiously. Tony swung round the holographic chart to show Loki. "Someone's turned my arc reactor into a bomb."

"I'm sorry, Tony."

"I'm going to stop them."

"I know you will," Loki said gently. Loki stood and gently, oh so gently, pulled Tony into a lingering embrace.

Tony felt the anxiety and tension slowly ebb away. He pulled Loki closer. "This is weirdly comfortable. I'm fine, I'm just… This was my… the creation that was going to save the world. Not destroy it. I'm just the Merchant of Death, again."

"You? You are the Iron Man."

"Yeah. Big whoop," Tony muttered angrily as he turned back to the screen. "Though not if you have your way, right?"

"Tony, I refuse to fight with you."

Tony felt a part of him cringe up at his own pettiness. He glanced back at his god. "So… what's fucked up about your day?"

Loki walked onto the holographic map of the world. "What is this?"

"It's tracing all the arc reactor signals. If they try detonating one again, Jarvis will find them."

"And then?"

"I'll go and stop them."

"How?"

"Well, I thought a strongly worded letter. Then maybe a leaflet campaign. How the fuck do you think, moron?"

"If you are looking for punishment as distraction, you need only ask. You do not have to make me angry."

"I'm… sorry. I'm…" Tony rubbed his face. "You, er… you didn't say what was wrong with your day?"

"Let us focus on you."

"Why? Why can't we talk about you?" Tony glared at Loki. "You know, I confide in you. I tell you my problems. Hell, when I find these bastards, I'll even invite you along. But you never talk to me, do you? Because I'm just the little boy, what could I possibly do to aid an all mighty, so up his own fucking ass god? It's Doom, isn't it? That's why you won't tell me."

"Do you know anything about the internal politics of an Asgardian court?"

"No. But that's not the-" Tony stopped, laughing blackly and shaking his head. "You know what? Forget it. Rhodey's got issues because he thinks I'm gay. Which I'm not. He said it didn't matter but he was lying. And now with these terrorists fuckers messing up arc reactors, we could lose our funding on this. There are two arc reactors being built, three in the pipeline and four possibly about to be commissioned. You know how much money we're talking here? How much publicity? I have to… have to show them that this is not what the arc reactors are-" Tony flung his light pad down on a table and ran a hand across his goatee.

The bad mood, the horrible desperation of it all had been creeping up on him all day. It had pretty much culminated to a peek as he was caught by a physicist at the end of his 'speech' and given a self-righteous lecture on how Tony should have put his efforts in to solar had he really wanted to 'atone' for his mass murdering weaponry.

_'Atone' my fucking ass._

Solar is all well and good and dandy and hippy, but it just doesn't create enough energy. It's a gimmick. Sure, a couple of solar panels will run a house, but do you know how many solar panels it would take to run a city? You'd need enough panels to cover about 43,495 miles. Put it this way; you want to solar power Las Vegas? Say goodbye to the desert and for that matter, the Grand Canyon.

However, put two arc reactors in Las Vegas, the place would never oil or gas or nuclear power ever again.

Fingers glided through his hair. "Sh, my clever, clever boy. Sh."

"I'm fine," Tony said, his voice a little gruff.

"Are things as bad as all that?"

"You wouldn't understand. And I don't mean that, like… I'm not trying to start an argument or anything. You just wouldn't understand."

Loki held his gaze for another long minute before turning away. "What does this mean?"

Tony waved his hand. "Just local satellite feeds."

"Local to?"

"Palladium mines. They've got to be getting their material from somewhere."

Loki walked round and round the map, watching the material coming in. Tony couldn't help but admire how the cogs in his head seemed to be working. Tony knew Loki wasn't seeing any of this the way Tony was seeing it, so it made him wonder how the mad god was in fact seeing the information. "Any thoughts?"

"Oh so many," Loki said imperiously.

"Anything not sexual?"

Loki gave a half nod. "Then no." He gave Tony a cheeky smile which made the playboy shake his head with a small chuckle of his own.

"Who's the adult here, I wonder?" Tony asked.

"Still me, Tony."

"Thought so. Tell me this isn't Victor."

Loki gave Tony a look and Tony felt his stomach fall out. "He has been… hinting, of late."

Tony felt an almighty urge to punch Loki's jaw off. His fist tightened and his jaw clenched. "Oh?"

"He has a tendency to give grand, cryptic speeches of his intentions. All I have to do is listen."

_Pot, Kettle, Kettle, Pot._ "Do all you bad guys have some sort of Idiot's Guide to villainy?"

"Turning Tony Stark's creations against him, so he says. But I am slowly gaining access to his facilities and I've seen none of it. So I have viewed his words with a great deal of scepticism."

"And you were going to tell me about this when?"

Loki gave a weary sigh. "In truth, I was not. You're mine to protect, Anthony. But In this case, I was wrong."

"You son of a fucking bitch. You think you can waltz into my life and shit over- you're what?"

"Wrong, Tony. I was wrong to keep this from you."

"Sorry, you're what?"

"Libel to bend you over and beat you senseless if you continue in this vain," Loki growled. Then he sighed again. "I did not wish to raise the matter until I had proof and I have none."

"You're what?"

Loki rolled his eyes and turned his back on his madly grinning boy. "This light here," the god said, pointing to a flashing light on the map.

Tony followed his gaze and blanched as he saw an arc reactor reading flashing up on his map.

"Not one of yours, I take it?"

Tony frowned as he realised where the source was coming from. "Well… yes. And no. One of mine, but not one that's supposed to be working. Jarvis, call J-dog."

"By any chance, do you mean James Conway?"

"Whatever."

There was a moments silence before Jimmy's voice appeared. "Right in the middle of something, Tony."

"Blow the stockholders later, Jimmy. Just tell me why you've reactivated the Filderstadt arc reactor."

There was a pause. "I haven't."

"Okay. All I needed to know. Bye."

Jarvis hung up just as Jimmy started to ask why. Tony turned to Loki. "You wanna come with me for a little asskicking session?"

Loki smiled. "Yes. Why not?"

xxx

"Filderstadt," Tony announced. "Do you know what's close to here?"

Loki had teleported them to the location of the reactived arc reactor. Tony had put up an entirely staged protest, but in truth, it was quicker than flying. It was instantaneous.

They where a little ways outside of the town, in the midst of an industrial park. This had been where the first arc reactor had been built in Germany and due to some hesitation on the government's part, it had been built away from the major centres. Just in case.

Now of course, there was one right in the centre of Berlin. This one had been shut down due to maintenance costs. Another problem Tony was determined to fix. They headed to the reactor carefully.

"No. What's near here?"

"Stuttgart. Where we first met."

"Tony… you are not getting all sentimental on me, are you?"

If Tony was ten years younger and haven't been entirely ruined by a god for the almost the last year, he might have blushed.

"Come here." Tony pushed an earpiece into Loki's ear. The god protested mildly, unused to the sensation. "So you can hear me when I'm flying."

"There are magics that will work just as well."

"Keep your voodoo to yourself. This is my world, remember?" He gestured up. "You take the low road and I'll take the high road."

Tony rocketed up and got a bird's eye view of the area. There were definite signs of recent activity. Trucks and crates littered the area.

"You think this is Doom's enterprise?" Loki asked.

"How should I know? You're Doom's little pet, you tell me." Tony wasn't entirely surprised that he was suddenly forced to dart out the path of a blue blot of magic.

"Don't push my good will, boy."

"What does he think of you in the papers with me?"

"I've told him that I intend to get close to you, to break you, to deceive you and destroy you."

_The easiest lie to tell is the truth._

Tony felt a little groan in his chest. For so long, he had been living in a rose tinted world with Loki. Everything was so wonderful. Now there was a black thorn of doubt niggling at him. He tried to shake it off. "So, Natasha sent me this article. '12 Red Flags to an unhealthy relationship'."

"Why?"

"I don't know. She likes giving me reading material. Anyway, I gave it a read and, drum roll please, we check eleven out of twelve."

"Oh dear," Loki said, blandly. "And in what one area did we not come up to par?"

"Well, number one is embarrassment. You try to embarrass me into submission in front of others. Two, verbally abusive."

"Simply foul," Loki agreed. "But I forgive you for it."

"Which brings us neatly onto three, blame game. You won't ever admit you're wrong."

"And you?"

"That's different, I'm never wrong. Four, violent. Five, a continuous pattern of abuse then make up sex. Six, forced endings."

"What?"

"Using force to end an argument."

"Example?"

"Are you fucking kidding me?"

He spotted the god in the distance, checking out an old warehouse. The god gave a conceding little half shrug. "Go on."

A light flashed on the screen in front of his eyes. Someone was powering up an arc reactor. Not the large one based in the main warehouse below him, but a smaller one in the same building.

Tony watched the energy signatures as the power readings built and ebbed. They were definitely doing a test cycle.

"Seven, controlling and or dominating. Eight, out of control, blowing hot and cold. The messed up Aesir mood swings you've got going on. Ten, expects you to wait on them like a servant. Eleven, they convince you that you can't exist without their support. Twelve, pressing you into things that make you uncomfortable."

"And where did we not make the grade?"

Tony landed on the roof of the main building as the god's head lifted to gaze at him. "Number nine. The paragraph's called 'the big disappointment'. Abusive partners make their victims feel useless, worthless. _Less than_. You don't do that. I feel stronger with you. I feel… stronger. With you. Only you."

The zoom in his helmets lenses was full on. Loki's face was so large in his screen it was like he could reach out and touch his cheek. The green eyes were so kind, so gentle.

"Well," Loki purred, "we shall simply have to try harder, won't we love?"

Tony smiled. "Fucking hell, Loki. I love you."

"I know."

"Are you just being snide or are you actually making a Star Wars reference?"

"Whatever explanation makes you happiest, my precious thing."

Tony shook his head and glanced down at the skylight beneath his feet. "Going down." He shattered the glass with his repulsion thrusters and lowered himself into the building… avoiding the rocket that was suddenly pelting past his suit. "What the-"

"Tony!"

Tony soared towards the man with the rocket launcher, landing on the metal gangway and knocking him out with an upper cut. He turned to see three men racing towards him, automatic pistols in hand. "Ah."

At the far side of the warehouse, the large metal doors exploded. As the men staggered and stared down, Tony took them down with tranquiliser darts to the back of their necks.

Tony felt there should be theme music playing as Loki, fully armoured, gold horns and all, strode in through the doors. He smiled and zipped down to the ground where the real fight began.

Soldiers ran from every corner of the warehouse, heavily armed and very capable. But between them, Loki and Iron Man presented a pretty damn near invincible force. Tony ducked and punched, turning and using his thrusters to knock to men off their feet and punching then out as they fell.

In the middle of the large building was the arc reactor. Offline, but still dangerous. Tony could see where it had been broken apart to scavenge tech and specs.

"Don't hit the arc reactor," Tony called to Loki has he threw his fist into man's jaw with a satisfactory crunch.

"Would you weep?" Loki mocked.

"Well, yeah. Briefly. Then the resulting explosion would fry me to death. You'd probably get a nice tan from it though."

Tony caught Loki's face and felt confident he had made his point.

While they fought the seemly endless stream of soldiers, _I thought Doom had robots?_ Tony kept one eye on his god. Yes, because he was worried. More because he was in love. The slender frame was so graceful, he fought more as though he were dancing than Tony's style. Okay, the Iron Man was sexy. But there was no doubt that the closest description to a dance when the Iron Man fought was maybe a little… robotic? Loki was a ballet.

He ducked and jumped, kicked and spun and all the while his staff travelled independently of Loki's movements. As soldiers ran at him, they would be knocked down by an upper cut from the staff or swipe to the legs. As the area around him cleared, the staff would rise to fire blots of blue. Loki knocked the legs out from under one soldier, twirled his staff around and brought the blade down into the chest.

Tony watched, wide-eyed, stunned as Loki brought down a further four soldiers. How had Tony not seen this before? Okay, before now when he had seen Loki fight, Tony had generally been doing his best to survive. But even then, why hadn't he recognised the beauty of it?

Then…

_Fuck. This is what happens when you're in love. You become a fucking moron._

Tony's body clattered along the metal floor. His hands scrabbled out, but he didn't managed to grab anything before he flipped out over the platform and plummeted down to the next floor. He landed with a bang.

The rocket which had caught him in the back had made all his systems temporarily flicker, but it was minor damage.

More embarrassing than anything else.

"Tony!" came Loki's shout.

Tony winced. "Oh the feedback! You don't need to yell, you know. This earpiece has pretty fantastic reception."

"Are you alright?"

"Fine. Fine. Focus on what you're doing up there. There's a few down here I'm going to deal with."

"I'll dispatch these and check the rest of the building."

Tony cleared the lower floor quickly. These guys didn't look like soldiers. Tony suspected from the lab type set up he was in, these were probably scientists. He tranquilised them all and took the opportunity to have a good nose around.

Someone had been smart enough to duplicate his arc reactor and Tony wanted to know how. The room was large, filled with work benches and control panels.

In the middle was the still buzzing smaller arch reactor. This seemed to be their most recent version and it was getting more and more impressive. With every redesign, it was growing less like a power source and more like a bomb.

It had to be Doom. This had to be one of Doom's labs. Obviously he had people working for him, it wasn't just him in a volcano somewhere with a white cat and a piranha pool.

Off to the sides were smaller rooms. He walked into one of these and caught sight of what looked like arc reactor blueprints.

As he walked towards them, he heard a muffled scream.

He wiped round, the panels sliding back on his arms and rockets charging. A woman was pressed into the corner, a gun raised in front of her with shaking hands.

Tony stepped back, putting the rockets away and pulling off his helmet. "Hey, hey, easy. Easy, it's alright. I'm not going to hurt ya."

The woman stared at him suspiciously. "Warum sollte ich dir glauben?"

"Fuck. Why don't I speak German? Er, parlez-vous français?"

"Ah. Oui."

"_Bien_," Tony said soothingly, trying to remember how Loki sounded when he was being comforting. Tony continued in French, it was clearly going to be the only way he was getting anything out of her. He said, "Je ne veux pas avoir l'air de critiquer, mais vous êtes dans un laboratoire où on fabrique des bombes." _I don't want to sound judgemental, but you're standing in a lab where they make bombs._

The woman started to cry again. Tony grimaced. She managed to say, "Je ne voulais pas être ici ! Ils m'y ont obligée, vous devez me croire!" _I don't want to be here! They made me, you have to believe me!_

"Du calme, ça va," Tony said carefully.

The woman seemed scared and confused. Tony did his best to comfort her, then turned his attention back to the desk. They were definitely arc reactor blue prints and they were advanced. More advanced than Tony had suspected. His stomach began to twist as he realised that this wasn't just your average terror cell.

"This is… fuck. These are from my company. You got these from my company!" he shouted at no one in particular.

"Vous êtes Tony Stark?"

"Pas d'autographe." _No autographs._

"Vos créations sont...pardonnez-moi, mais c'est de l'art." _Your designs are... forgive me, but they are art._

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Tony muttered, desperately hunting through the rolls and rolls of blueprints.

Each and every one had the Stark Industries logo. They also had the roll numbers and security tags. He held one up to the light of a desk lamp and checked for the invisible markers. Fuck. Fuck. Each and every one where Stark Industries property and not only that, these were the blueprints no one got to see. Tony wasn't stupid enough to keep every bit of information about the arc reactors in one place, only he had the complete blueprints. But someone had gone through a lot of time and effort to track down every scrap of information hiding in the branches of his company around the world and put them all together.

The woman was still talking but Tony ignored her.

"Et utiliser les réacteurs Ark comme source d'énergie à l'échelle mondiale ! Vos motivations sont nobles mais malvenues et peu ambitieuses. Pensez, pensez à ce qui pourrait être fait avec une telle puissance!"

Tony pulled forward a laptop and flicked a couple of buttons. When the screen powered up, he was met with the opening page to the Stark Industries internal network. Shit. _This is so bad._

_Wait. What did she say? Something about power. Hold on._

"Nous avons les plans du réacteur Ark maintenant, ce qui fait de nous les seules personnes sachant comment en construire un. À part vous, c'est..."

Tony frowned slightly as he translated. _We have the blueprints to the arc reactor now, making us the only people who know how to build one. Except for you, that is..._

He whipped down as a knife came flying towards his neck. "Hail HYDRA!" the woman screamed.

Tony was momentarily blinded by blue. He blinked and staggered backwards. The woman was bent over, one arm around her stomach. She dropped the knife, staring at Tony and fell back, crashing against the wall and slipping sideways so she propped up against the desk. Her arm slipped and Tony saw blood seeping out, staining her lab coat red.

Tony blinked and turned. Loki was leaning lazily against the door, his staff still raised. "Devious little creature, very impressive," Loki said dispassionately, staring at the women.

Tony dropped to his knees, grabbing the woman's shoulder. She was still alive, but the rattling, squelching gasp told him she had seconds.

She fixed him with a stare. "H…hail… HY…DRA." She stopped breathing, but her eyes stayed fixed on Tony.

Tony stood. "You… killed her. Just like that?"

Loki raised an eyebrow. "Of course. Please do not launch into some great aria, simply because she was a woman? Tony. Allow woman to be treacherous, scheming, murdering psychopaths like any man. Odds are, they'd do it better."

"Why, multitasking?" Tony asked, desperate for a joke, desperate not to think.

"To be sure," Loki purred.

Tony turned back to the desk. "Hail HYDRA."

"You know of HYDRA?"

"Well… let's see… without HYDRA, there'd be no Tesseract, so we wouldn't have met. No Captain America so they'd be no Avengers, and I would never have been born. How's that for starters?"

xxx

Steve was beaten and angry and even worse, in Tony's tower, which was pissing the billionaire off to no small degree. "I thought I was done with HYDRA. But here they are again."

The Avengers were all in Stark Tower. Tony, with much reluctance and an insistent Loki, had contacted them after they had dealt with the last of the HDYRA operatives in the warehouse.

Fury and SHIELD were already on site and the Avengers had assembled here where Tony had given then the blow by blow account.

There was a dark chuckle behind them. They all turned to see Loki leaning against the glass, his eyes on the middle distance and clearly amused about something. Tony tilted his head. "What?"

Loki caught his eye and shrugged. "It's amusing is all, pet."

"What's amusing?"

Finally Loki seemed to catch on that none of them had a clue what was so funny. "You know what a hydra is?"

Bruce nodded vaguely. "A mythological creature."

Loki smiled patronisingly. "_Mythological_. Of course," he purred. Tony's eyes flickered to Thor and the man's expression suggested that they were all going to have to re-evaluate their assumptions on mythology.

Loki rolled his eyes and said, "It is a great serpent and when one head is removed, two more spout in its place. This organisation has many similar qualities, it seems. The comparison amused me, that is all."

Steve shot daggers at the god. "HYDRA killed my best friend."

Loki laughed again. "Well, that is not how I heard it, good captain. I heard you lost your friend through your own inability and incompetence."

The room was silent again, but the tension was much more palpable. Glaring eyes turned on Tony, whose own eyes were glaring at Loki. When he realised he was the centre of the ill will in the room, Tony raised his hands quickly. "Hey, he did _not_ hear that from me."

"Really?" Steve said, his tone dark and dangerous. "Do you expect-"

"He heard it from me," said a sullen voice. Barton looked murderous. "He heard it from me," he repeated.

"You think I lost Buckey to incompetence?" Steve said, rounding on the archer.

"It's not what I meant, and he knows that," Barton protested.

"Not what you meant, but what you said?" Captain America demanded.

_Wow. God of Chaos at work or what?_

"Hey," Tony exclaimed. "Did anyone hear that I just got kicked out of the APS?"

"The American Physics Society," Bruce translated for the benefit of the room. Bruce was always keen to divert an argument. Too many people arguing in one room tended to bring him out in green. "I was watching the TV. You called the Bose Award inane and tacky. I almost choked on my cereal."

"What sort of cereal?"

"I received the Bose Award in 1989," Bruce pointed out.

Tony gave him a sympathetic look. "Well, don't worry. We won't tell anyone. And you're still young; plenty of time to get some real awards."

"Back to HYDRA, please," Nat said. "You were talking about Doom earlier and now you're telling us about HYDRA. What's the connection?"

"Loki thinks that Doom and HYDRA are working together," Tony said.

"You'll forgive us if we don't take that on trust?" Barton said harshly.

Loki made a scolding noise in his noise and gave Barton a look of mock disapproval. But the glittering eyes and smirk made his amusement plain. "Come now, Clint. What reason have I to lie?"

"I believe Loki," Tony said simply.

Natasha decided not to press the issue. "Send all the information you have to SHIELD. This is an Avengers issue, not a personal one."

"They're using my arc reactor. It can't get more personal than that."

Natasha gave him a look of incredulity. "Not everything you build is supposed to be an extension of your ego. You've got to learn to keep a little distance."

"You can't take out HYDRA on your own," Steve said. "This is ours, Tony. Hand over everything you know and we'll take care of it."

"But-"

"You'll have it all by the end of the day," Loki said.

Tony turned and glared at the man. "Oh they will, will they?" Tony demanded.

Loki gave Tony a warning look, which the playboy thoroughly ignored. Other than to think how sexy the man looked when he was annoyed. He turned back to the room. "I'm the Iron Man and an Avenger and this is my-"

"You're not an Avenger anymore," Barton pointed out.

"For the time being," Thor clarified.

"And how do you expect to stop an arc reactor bomb? Anyone have any ideas? Hands up, who's got an idea? Come on, don't be shy. No? Well I do, I know exactly how and I'll tell you… or I would if I was an Avenger."

"You should tell us," Natasha said, clearly trying to hold on to her patience. "Because you're a law abiding citizen."

"Am not! Wait…"

"You put a halt to the operations," Steve said quickly. "Thank you. Now, we'll take it from here."

Xxx

"Fuck all of them."

"I do not have the time nor the inclination."

"Shut up Loki."

"My, we're in a bad mood, aren't we pet?"

"Fuck off."

"Shall I make it all better, Tony? Shall I kiss it all away?"

Tony threw the last of his equipment into the container with a harsh curse. He walked towards the now empty Iron Man suit cases. He approached a keypad, then turned quickly. "Don't look."

Loki lifted his head wearily and glanced over. He was lying back in a chair, his legs resting on a desk, surrounded by piles and boxes of lab equipment, the evidence of the last three hours of Tony's packing away the Tower's lab. "I can honestly say, my darling, I really don't care in the slightest." He leaned back in the chair again, closing his eyes, the picture of arrogant lounging.

The god had enjoyed Tony storming around the lab, not moving for a moment to help Tony with any of the packing, watching Tony's rant and cursing with an amused expression. Tony muttered some more bad words and typed in the code.

The wall near Loki slid away. Now the god looked up with vague curiosity. Tony walked past, grabbed a crate and started loading the sealed boxes the room contained into the packing crate. "Some of the stuff I create, I don't want out there. Things that the world isn't ready for. Things I don't want to be responsible for." Tony looked up. "No looking I said!"

Loki rolled his eyes with a sigh and focused on the ceiling again. "Honestly Tony. You think I care for toys?"

"Have you heard the expression curiosity killed the cat? That's you."

"I'm a cat?"

"No, you're curious. I'm the cat."

"You're not making any sense, darling."

"I'm in a fucking bad mood!"

"Yes," Loki soothed.

"Sir?"

"What!" Tony exclaimed.

Jarvis continued. "The transport vans are here. Shall I direct them to the lab?"

"No. No. Not just…. Wait until we're gone." Tony closed and locked the crate on all those things he wished his genius didn't result in. The bombs, the weapons, the things that he had to create just to know it were possible, but then didn't have the strength to destroy. He sat down on the box and covered his face with his hands.

Green energy as it stands, right now, doesn't work. The arc reactor is clean. It's safe. It's universal; you didn't need the right climate or the space. And now a relic from the past, some World War Nazi cult were trying to turn the only good thing he had ever done into a... a…

And he wasn't in the Avengers. He couldn't do everything he could to stop this because they wouldn't let him. SHIELD won't let him. The Avengers won't let him.

Loki…

He felt movement around him and now Loki was sitting on the box behind him, dragged Tony back and into his arms. He manipulated Tony's body, pulling him back, leaning into capture his mouth. A tongue reached in to stroke Tony's over and over again until Tony felt his body arching into Loki's chest.

Tony made a slight noise, a moan and a protest as his eyes became hot and scratchy. _Fuck. No way in hell._ He grabbed Loki's shoulder and hauled him closer, begging for more. Loki broke the kiss. Tony felt the howl of pain and misery threatening to engulf him.

"You blame me for this."

"No, I don't," Tony coughed, trying to clear his tightening throat.

"You do. There is no crime in saying so. Were I not here, you would still be an Avenger and you could take on HYDRA."

"Alright. So I'm mad at you. But it's not your fault. And I don't want to be mad at you. You've made things so… so good lately. You're making me so happy. I'm not going to let myself get sucked back into the habit of blaming you for everything. Even if it is all your fault."

Loki stroked a finger over Tony's goatee. "Do you want me to look after you, Tony?"

"I don't know what I want."

"Poor boy," Loki muttered, nuzzling Tony's neck.

Tony and Loki were both tense on the long trip back to Malibu, neither one seemly aware of how to approach the other. The jet took them and Tony's more sensitive equipment and suits to the Malibu house to be locked away there. Stark Tower was officially vacated.

Another one of Loki's ideas. When the time was right, Tony not only had a state of the art transport to bargain with, but a tower which could become the sanctioned home of the Avengers.

But that time wasn't now. Or at least, according to Loki. Loki believed that Tony had to wait out his suspension. Give SHIELD enough time to realise that they needed Tony Stark, as well as the Iron Man.

On the jet, Loki had asked gently, "Why, were it not for HYDRA, would you not have been born?"

"Hum?" Tony looked back from the window, blinking a little like he had forgotten Loki was there. Loki repeated his question and Tony shrugged, looking back out of the window. "The… when they were creating Captain Douchebag. My mother was working there. I mean… back then, she was just a skirt for the old man. You know? But they met again after the war. I think because they shared memories of that lab and… and Steve. Fuck. Like I know. But it was the Tesseract that kicked that all off, imagine what the world would have been like had it not existed."

Loki watched Tony as the billionaire relapsed into broody silence.

When they finally landed, Tony walked silently from the jet to his car and drove them the Malibu home. Loki followed without interrupting Tony's thoughts.

There was a lot to do, of course. There always was. He'd have to go into the office tomorrow on top of everything else. But that was tomorrow.

"Loki."

"Yes pet?"

Tony rubbed his eyes like an overtired child. "I just… I need… just for a bit."

Loki was behind him, running a finger down his spine. "You should not act so vulnerable, my little one. It makes me think such evil thoughts."

"Yeah. I'm only _acting_ like my whole world is falling apart. Just to turn you on."

"Such a tease."

"That's me," Tony croaked. _A lie. I want this lie. I love this lie. That I'm only pretending. I'm pretending that the world has just beaten me._

"I want you to pretend you're weak and helpless. I want you to pretend you need me to survive."

"Way ahead of you."

"I want you to be a tiny, fragile, precious creature. You're dependent on me, aren't you Tony? You need me. You'll die without me."

Loki's arms held him tight and they were travelling through darkness back to their home. Their secret home. _Which is in the middle of a mountain, for fucks sake._

"What do you want me to do?" Tony mumbled, pulling off his clothes.

Loki caught his hands. "This is going to be about you, Tony." Loki took over his stripping. "This is all about you." Loki lifted Tony up and put him into the bath.

With a tap, warm water was enveloping him. Loki stripped off his shirt and knelt next to the bath.

Hands were touching him. Stroking him. Kneading muscle.

"Hold your breath." Loki pushed Tony under for a moment and ran his fingers through Tony's hair. Then he pulled him back up.

Tony let himself relax in the water as Loki uncorked something and poured what looked like oil into the water. Tony ran his fingers through a pool of it unthinkingly. "I remember being this low before."

"What happened?" Loki was rubbing the oil into his body.

Memories were swirling around him, threatening to crush him. It was nice to have Loki here, it was nice to talk. He had talked to Pepper… not like he talked to Loki. With Pepper, he had felt the overwhelming need to be _the man_. Confident and strong and sure. With Loki, he didn't have to be.

"After my father died. Before I took over Stark Industries. Ran away. Spent about a month drunk and living in a motel next to a…" Tony paused, not realising this might not necessarily be the best story to launch into. But he couldn't help it. His mind was stuck in the same moment as all those years ago. "It's about… not knowing what my world is… anymore. At least, when I was with Pepper, when I was dying of Palladium poisoning, at least I still knew who I was."

"Next to what?"

"A brothel." Tony shrugged. "Maybe I am sex obsessed."

Loki's hand now moved down and Tony felt the pressure of the long fingers against his ass. With no illusions of stopping Loki in whatever he wanted to do, Tony relaxed and let a finger breach him.

"It's not the sex," Loki said calmly. "That's not what you chase after. It's the artificial sense that you are letting that person in. You fool yourself into believing that you are close to something, without actually letting them in at all. That is what you pursued."

Tony looked up into the composed face. "Loki… I let you in."

Loki smiled. "I know. I know. And that is why you feel things with me you have never done before. I do not judge you. Believe me, I understand."

Tony groaned as a second finger came into play. They weren't pounding, they were stretching and stroking. Touching everything. Tony titled his hips in the water to give Loki deeper access, but the god intentionally was staying away from that little bundle of glorious nerve endings.

Tony bit his lip. But he trusted his god. And right now, he didn't dare think. "Nice girls they were, at the brothel. There was one, Jules, kicked me back into gear. Wouldn't let me feel sorry for myself. Used to give me a right talking too when I came back hammered."

Loki made a encouraging noise as he washed Tony delicately. "Were you two close?"

"Yeah. Er, no. No. Not in that way. I mean, she was a great friend, but not a... we weren't. She wasn't my type."

"Why not?"

"Put it this way - Jules was her assumed name. The name her parents gave her was Julian."

It only took Loki half a second to figure it out, before his body was shuddering with laughter. Tony rolled his eyes and defended his position. "She was a great... er... person. Never let me whine about my life. Used to say to me, 'honey, you're a billionaire, cutie-pie and poindexter. And I'm a diva with a cock, so what the fuck do you think you're crying about?'"

Loki threw his head back and laughed. Tony smiled in remembrance.

"I do believe I would like this woman," Loki said through his laughter.

"Yeah. She's dead. Shame really, but... she was the type to live fast and die young. You know? I was kinda expecting to go that way too."

"I'll look after you, my delicate pet."

"You sure? I've been told I'm high maintenance."

"But thoroughly worth it."

"She was my first Pepper, I think. I've always had people looking after me. Pepper, Obi... now you. Babysitters, so I don't have to grow up. You're right. I am a boy."

"My boy," Loki purred. When Loki was satisfied, he pulled Tony out and dried him professionally. "There's no shame in wanting to be protected. Loved."

"I'm a grown man. Not a child."

"My Tony. My boy. But you're still the Iron Man. The only reason I do not like your suit... the Iron Man, is because I can't own him. It vexes me that there is a part of you I can't own wholly and absolutely. But then..."

"I can't ever own the Trickster," Tony answered dully. He looked up into Loki's sad expression and smiled. "Apparently I've got a talent for being a mood kill. You look even more fucking miserable than I do."

Loki chuckled as he led Tony over to a wall and tied him, his arms above his head, so he faced it. "Something new, I think. Because you have been such a good boy."

_New? What the fuck could we possibly do that's new? We've done everything-_

_Fuck._

_Fuck, fuck, fuck!_

"Loki!" Tony gasped as Loki's tongue swirled around his entrance. All the miserable, clawing thoughts of darkness suddenly gone from his mind in a flash of shocked surprise. "Don't you dare!"

Loki laughed, open and honestly for the second time that evening, and pulled Tony's cheeks apart a little wider. It was like light turning on a light switch, the mood of the room had changed so dramatically.

_Fuck. Fuck. I'm actually blushing. I'm actually blushing. How the hell am I blushing after everything he's been doing to me? How are there still things that embarrass me? How- fuck, fuck!_

Tony could feel the burning heat in his cheeks and gasped like a drowning man. "No!" Tony objected in a high pitch voice as Loki's tongue pushed hard against his resistance. He shrugged to get away from his bindings. "What the fuck is wrong with you?!"

"Oh come on, Tony!" Loki objected, his voice alive with merriment. "Please?"

"Absolutely not!"

Loki snorted. "As though I care what your opinion is."

"Seriously, when I get out of these ties, I'm going to thump you."

"I'm going to make you feel so good, Tony. Trust me."

"It's… _wrong_!"

"How is my tongue up your ass any different from my cock or my hand?"

"The fact that you can even ask that question makes me certain I don't want to be around you at meal times."

"Come on, Tony," Loki purred, rubbing his cheek against Tony's ass. _Giant fucking cat._

"It's weird. It's… dirty."

"You're all lovely and clean, I made sure of that."

"Loki…"

"Trust me, Tony. You'll like it. You'll beg me to do it again. In fact, I'll make you a deal. You let me do it to you now, just once. And I'll never do it again until the first time you beg me to. Then I'll get to do it whenever I please. Deal?"

_I hate it when he makes 'deals' like that. It almost certainly means I'm about to turn to putty in his hands._

"F… fine. Alright. Yes. Deal. You sick freak."

"Good boy." Loki's tongue pushed again.

Tony cringed, had an inner fight with himself, lost and relaxed. Loki's tongue pushed up inside him and Tony's world turned to mush.

"Oh-" he gasped.

Loki's tongue moved experimentally.

"Huh-" Tony breathed. His head fell back, he was staring at the roof, not seeing it, every part of his mind bent on what the fuck Loki was doing back there. "Urh-" Tony gasped.

Loki's tongue swirled, touching everything. A long, deep, guttural moan left Tony's mouth, rattled around the room, and bounced back to smack him in the face with his own wantonness. If that wasn't bad enough, it was followed by a groaning, "Looooki!"

He felt the chuckle the god gave. The tongue pushed in deeper. It was the weirdest sensation he had ever felt. It was hot and wet, so much lither and flexible than a cock. Tony shuddered and cooed. "Oh my god… oh my god…" _Hum. Guttural moaning, calling his name, chanting to his god… yep._ This was full blown worship of the variety Loki spent their lives trying to get Tony to do.

Loki began thrusting his tongue in and out. _Fuck, just when I thought this couldn't get any better._

"Ha-oh-fuck! Deeper!"

Loki obliged, fuck knows how. One hand grabbed Tony around the hip and pulled him down. Tony didn't need encouraging and rocked back and forth against Loki's mouth.

"You're such a bastard," Tony groaned as Loki pulled out.

"Now, that doesn't sound like a 'thank you' to me. You will thank me for taking such good care of you."

"Thank you," Tony mumbled.

He was rewarded by the return of the tongue. _Fucking silver tongue indeed._ Tony moved in a daze as he danced for his god. His cock was leaking now, he could feel it. Loki's hands were on his hips, his tongue working in and out.

Loki stopped again and Tony shivered and moaned. He was being taken down from the wall. He was being wrapped up in strong arms, held up, his head on the broad chest as the tongue pushed back up inside of him. Clearly there was a clone in play, but he had no idea which was which.

Tony wasn't sure of much, he literally couldn't open his eyes. He felt everything. The heavy breathing of the naked chest he was pressed against, the squiring warm, wet in his ass, the hands now holding his hips so tightly he knew… hoped he was going to bruise.

"You're all limp and helpless, my Tony."

Tony's cock was pressed up against Loki's trousers. The friction of the material against him made his mind flash with images of wanton sex, but he still couldn't open his eyes. His pelvis began to rock against it.

"That's it. Do what you need to do to feel what you want to feel."

Tony made a helpless little gurgling noise as his cock twitched.

"I've never known anyone else like you, Tony Stark. You are wise beyond your years, your race and realm. I will never want for witty conversation or intelligent debate. Your body was built for my manner of love and designed to fit so perfectly with my own. You are mine and you are beautiful."

Tony shuddered and whined, his hips working faster. "I'm so cl…cl…"

"What do you need?"

Tony's fingers dung into Loki's shoulders as he danced between the constant sensation of being penetrated so entirely and the friction against Loki's trousers. Tony didn't need much and Loki supplied enough when his mouth closed over Tony's.

Tony climaxed jerkily against Loki, letting his legs give way knowing he didn't have to worry about falling.

_Fucking __þjá ey. How I hate you and love you all at the same time._

Loki took him to the bed and lay him down. Tony was paralysed, lying in the middle of the bed, Loki draped over him. The stance was almost protective, like a tiger guarding its kill.

"Tony," the most beautiful voice in the universe cooed.

"Hum?" Tony managed to say.

A hand petted his hair. "Where is the Helicarrier?"

"India… I think…" Tony leant into the hand.

"Good boy. Go to sleep now."

"Okay," Tony mumbled.


	59. Chapter 59: My Business

Tony stepped out of the car, which he had parked in front of the building and strolled into the HQ of Stark Industries. Happy followed him in, talking animatedly about the game last night. Eyes immediately snapped to them as they walked through the lobby towards the elevators. Tony smiled and waved. "Yes. Hello. This is still my company. Hi Terry. Joe, I meant Joe. Whatever. You look great."

The doors closed. Hogan rolled his eyes. "You realise this is the first time you've been here in nine months?"

"I have a perfectly healthy work life balance."

"Like hell you do. Then you wonder why your designs are getting out there. Well I'll tell you - no security. No big guy in the main office to impress."

"There's Jimmy."

"Jimmy's not the kind of guy you want to impress. He's the guy you go out after work with for a beer. But you're too busy playing happy families with your crazy eyed god to notice."

"Loki is not crazy eyed."

"You kidding? I can feel him staring at me even when he's not in the room."

"Loki's just… intense."

"Intensely psycho."

_You've no idea.  
_

Hogan rolled his eyes. "You know what they say."

"I do?"

"Yeah. Don't sleep with anyone who tries to destroy New York."

Tony felt himself smile. "Is that what they say? They also say not to drink three bottle of vodka then climb the decorative statute in the middle of the Cascade Hotel in Delhi, but I've done that too."

"Don't remind me. I'm the one that had to climb up to get you."

As the doors opened, Tony clapped a hand on Happy's shoulder. "Well, I'm going to fix the security problem here and now. Happy, you're now the head of Stark Industry security."

Tony left the elevator. Behind him, he heard, "Ha ha, very funny. Wait, what? You serious? Seriously! This is fantastic - you know what needs to change straight away? Name badges. No one wears them!"

"Yeah, you get right on that big man."

_What the hell? It'll be worth the laugh and if it even makes Jimmy's life a little bit harder, I'll be happy._

Tony walked into to Jimmy's office. Jimmy seemed to be in the middle of a meeting with several suited people so Tony strolled straight over to the crystal dispensary and poured himself a drink.

When he realised the room had gone silent, he glanced over. Three faces were staring at him. He gave a slight wave of the hand. "Oh, don't let me interrupt."

"And this is Tony Stark," Jimmy said smoothly and with a thorough lack of celebration in his tone. "Tony, this is Hammond from the East Coast office and Jerome who heads up our European branches. Thank you gentlemen, I think we're done here," Jimmy said. He led the two to the door and closed it behind them. "You can't knock?"

"My company. My building. I'm not knocking in my own building."

"Don't be such a child Tony," Jimmy snapped angrily under his breath. "I thought you were in Arizona on your mystery project." He walked back to his desk as Tony draped himself over a couch.

"Arizona is very dry."

"Are we going to see any revenue on this mystery project?" Jimmy gave in at Tony's little shrug. He sat down and picked up his desk phone. "I'm going to call someone to this meeting-"

"This isn't a meeting, J-dog. We're just chilling."

"I'm going to call someone to chill with us then."

"Hang on." Tony wrestled a folded piece of paper from his back pocket. "I want meetings will all these people." Tony held out the paper.

Jimmy stayed behind his desk and glared. Tony kept his arm outstretched. "I know, pen and paper. Old school. I was in a rush this morning. I had to drop the boyfriend off at work and there was a crowd outside the Malibu house. I think I only ran over two of them at most. But yeah, eight names. Eight people. Eight interviews in one day so I think I deserve a little pity here. You going to take this list or what?"

Jimmy didn't move from his seat.

"My arm's getting tired."

Jimmy stood, uttered a bad word with poor grace and snatched the paper from Tony. "I am not your secretary, Tony. I have a global business to run."

"My business."

Jimmy looked down the list. "What is this?"

"Eight people I have to have interviews with. I've got to find out who's been passing on-"

"No, I mean, what language is it?"

Tony rolled his eyes to the Heavens. "Ha ha comedian. It's not that bad."

"It's terrible. You write like a four year old."

"I have… unique penmanship."

"Who's Reebok Vesty?"

"Rebecca Wesley, dumbass."

Jimmy stared at the paper with mounting confusion.

"You name me one engineer who had good handwriting. Have you ever seen Einstein's stuff? This is why I love computers," Tony said defensively.

"You want to talk to all these people? Why?"

"The kind of information being leaked can only be found by certain people. The level of information going out means either these people did it or have a pretty good idea who."

"My name, or what I think is my name, is on the top of this list."

"Hey, what a coincidence! So, have you been selling Stark Industries technology under the table?"

"Fuck you Tony."

"Is that a no?"

Jimmy walked to the door and handed the paper over to someone outside. "Set up interviews in Mr Stark's office for these people," Tony heard him ask.

Jimmy walked back in, but not before waving at someone else to follow him. He was joined by a young man with blonde hair and light blue eyes.

"This is Bobby-"

"_Bobby_?" Tony asked incredulously.

"And he's the head of our PR," Jimmy said, ignoring the interruption.

"Bobby. Okay. Hi, I'm Tony. Nice to see the public face of my company is being managed by a twenty year old frat boy. I'm kidding, I'm sure you're great. Pleased to meet you. Have you hit puberty yet, or is that too personal?"

"I'm actually thirty, Mr Stark. But yes, I am young for the job. You should assume I'm pretty damn good at it."

"Actually I was assuming nepotism."

"Says the son of Howard Stark."

"Okay," Jimmy said quickly. "Bobby's here to talk about how we can use recent events to Stark Industries advantage."

"We've got a mad group of terrorists hijacking Stark Industries technologies to make bombs. What does the Prom King think about that?"

"Yeah, that sucks," Bobby said causally, "but then Tony Stark came out so that's the story. And I was never the Prom King."

"I haven't come out. And I was the Prom King."

"You were seen grinding up against a guy in a nightclub in London. And you graduated MIT when you were seventeen, how old where you at Prom?"

"Fifteen. Crazy night. First time I'd seen a girl's breasts. Long story."

Jimmy was leaning back against his desk, watching the exchange in silence. He seemed to be smiling to himself.

"And I'm not gay."

Bobby shrugged. "Out and proud. That's the press conference I'm planning."

"You can plan whatever the hell you like. I'm still not gay."

"It's an image thing. People will love the gay thing - you know, you've been lost and confused, sleeping with hundreds of women wondering why it was never right. Then you discover this guy, and your homosexuality and suddenly all is forgiven. The world gives you a whole new leaf."

"Still not gay."

"Bi doesn't work for us, because then you're just the old pervert who'll bang anything that breathes."

"Hey!"

Bobby raised his hands innocently. "I'm not judging. Believe me. As a Spin Doctor, I'm entirely neutral, I don't care. I'm just telling you how things will play in the press."

"Not gay."

"Well, don't say that outside this room, because you'll offend the gay community."

"Wouldn't it offend them more for me to pretend to be gay to score political points?"

"You were humping that guy like there was no tomorrow. When the reporters asked why you two were holding hands and if you're gay, you didn't deny it."

"That doesn't mean anything."

"It means everything to the press. Not the serious media, not until they've dug up something on your new fling. But what they can do is report the gossip."

"The serious media know there's no story, so they're going to run coverage on the fact that people are creating a story?"

Bobby smiled, his eyes twinkling. "Welcome to the global media."

"Don't lecture me on show business kid, I've been doing this since you where fumbling chicks on the back seat of your dad's beat up old Ford."

"It was a Bentley. And Stark Industries could not and would not survive without your unique brand of showman ship to be sure. But what you know about managing your own press wouldn't exceed the word count on a Twitter posting."

"I like you, you've got a brain. Why don't you give me a call in a few years when your balls have dropped?"

Bobby threw a look at Jimmy who shrugged. "Okay, Mr Stark," Bobby said. "But why don't you swing by my office on your way out today and we'll talk about the press conference. Let's get ahead of this, let's make you the foremost gay billionaire industrialist in the USA, maybe the world. And get some more pictures of you and your sexy new toyboy."

Tony choked on thin air. "Fucking hell, my what?"

"You're seriously not telling there's no sugar daddy thing going on here?"

"Yeah, maybe. But not in the way you're thinking."

As Bobby left, Tony was forced to consider that for the first time. Loki did appear young, younger when he wore Midgardian clothes. Maybe, what, twenties? Early thirties? Which Loki technically was, if you considered it in Asgardian years. From what he could gather from Thor, Loki would be arguably late twenties and Thor bordering on early thirties.

Not to mention Loki was an unknown - not a model or a movie star or anything. When Tony was known to be late thirties, early forties for those who knew, and had grey hair around his temples. Fuck. How does it look? Like Tony's found some sexy guy off the streets and is bringing him into the big leagues with the added bonus of all Tony Stark's money.

Tony gave Jimmy a look. "Good kid. Didn't realise school finished this early in the day."

Jimmy now came back to life. "He knows what he's talking about."

"Whose kid is he?"

Jimmy looked like he was considering lying before admitting, "Sophie's kid."

"Sophie Lever in accounts? I like Sophie. Slept with her once or twice."

"Oh yeah? How long ago?" Jimmy asked with a smirk.

"That poufy haired pomeranian is not my kid."

"That poufy haired pomeranian has a point. This is the perfect distraction from the shit that's going on with the arc reactor."

"I'm not gay."

"And how many times can you say that? Do you think there's anything wrong with being gay, Tony?"

_Fuck sometimes I am so slow._ Tony caught Jimmy's look and finally all the pieces fell into place. His mind ripped furiously into reverse. "No! No, no, nothing wrong with, erm. Of course not, why would, you know. Guys. Guys are great. It's just... Look, Jimmy. I'm really not gay. I might be bi, but honestly, so far, it's just this guy. It's him it's not his gender."

_Fucking hell, how long I'm I going to struggle with this momentous, fucking lie?_

Tony admitting he was gay was a victory for Loki. And with so many wins, Tony didn't want to give the asshole another.

Jimmy shrugged. "Believe it or not, there isn't a word yet invented for how little I care about your love life. I care about Stark Industries. My father worked for your father and now I'm working here. Stark Industries will survive, with or without you and currently, in spite of you."

"Cheers."

"You think someone is giving out proprietary information?"

"I think they're probably getting a good price for it."

"Did you really think it was me?"

"No. Just wanted to wind you up."

"Good, cause if you did, we'd have a problem."

"Of course not. I have all the faith in the world in you. So seriously, are you selling technology?"

"Go fuck yourself, Tony."

"Well as the papers have widely covered, I have someone to do that for me now."

Xxx

Tony sat at his desk and idly wondered why Hammer had a Newton's cradle and he didn't. He wanted a Newton's cradle on his desk, and he wanted a better one than Justin.

Last night... last night, Loki had been a very naughty boy. Tony's only defense was how could anyone have enough brain cells to lie when said brain had just been put through a mangler of an orgasm?

The first thing Tony had done this morning was check in with Bruce who was on the Helicarrier. Tony had kept the conversation light and managed to gather that nothing was out of the ordinary.

_But he wouldn't do anything the next day, would he?_

There was so much fucking shit in this 'relationship' you needed a bulldozer to get to the heart of it.

Loki hadn't been around this morning, but had left a pretty little note on his pillow in Malibu explaining that he had brought Tony home - Malibu home - while he was asleep and wouldn't be able to be there when he woke up.

All very suspicious.

But...

What did Tony believe?

_I believe that Loki loves me. Tick._

_I believe that he wouldn't do anything to risk me hating him. Tick._

_But if I did hate him, he still wouldn't let me go. Crap. _

_I believe that he'll pretty much do whatever the hell he likes. Shit._

Tony rubbed his face and reasoned, what was the worst that could happen? Loki had already shown himself not to be as great as he thought when it come to grand plans. Okay, in cons and manipulations he was legendary. Literally. But all out war with SHIELD and the Avengers he had tried before and failed pretty spectacularly at.

No matter what else Tony believed, he did at least know that Loki wouldn't be stupid. His love was many things, but stupid wasn't one.

_A fucking moron. But not stupid._

It's a fine line.

Fortunately for Tony, he had enough to be worrying about in the world of Tony Stark.

The first four interviews had been unproductive, awkward and fairly alarming. One woman had broken down in tears for a good quarter of an hour before confessing that she'd been stealing pens from the office throughout her ten years employment.

Tony did what he could to calm the hysterical woman down. He told her she could steal as many damn pens as she could fit in her pockets for all he cared. While the most alarming interview, it was also the most important. The people who had access to this information where all very senior in the company. This woman on the other hand was just a secretary, privy to all the sensitive information but without the title or wage. And that was fine, as far as it went. And she clearly enjoyed her job, and all the pens she could lift. But when crap like this happened, her and others like her were always the first for the chopping block, because she was easier to fire than the CFO.

Well, not with Tony. Tony wouldn't assume it was her just because she was junior staff. And he wasn't at all swayed by the fact that she had cried her eyes out and then called him a good man.

Should he have admitted to Bruce what had happened with Loki? It was a question he had uhm-ed and err-ed on, but eventually decided to give his lover the benefit of the doubt. And was now feeling like a fucking moron to have done so.

There was a knock at the door. Tony looked up from his screen. "Yeah."

A slender, dark skinned man. "You wanted to see me."

Tony's eyes flickered down for a second. Oh yeah. Head of IT, Martin Cyrus. "Sure, great. You want a drink or something?"

"No thank you."

"Okay. Have you been selling Stark Industries technology to international terrorists?"

The man was silent, staring at him blankly.

Tony raised an eyebrow. "This is usually where people deny it."

The man walked forward and sat down in the seat opposite him. "I imagine so."

Tony put down the light pad and took a closer look at Martin. The man was tall and slim, though not gangly. A head taller and broader and he could have had a similar build to Loki. This was more the human equivalent. His skin was dark and his eyes were large and deep brown.

"The plans for the arc reactor have gotten out. People are building bombs from them. But none have been devastating yet, because I'm not stupid enough to publish all the details, even when the information is secure. And only a couple of other engineers know what the secret ingredient is and I trust them."

"But you don't trust me?"

"Don't take is personally, I don't really trust anyone. But I won't even pretend to trust you." Tony smiled his bright smile, in a manner of a rude man who expects his charm to get him out of any trouble. "So... head of IT. You tell people to turn it off and turn it back on again?"

"With special responsibilities in encryption and transfer of sensitive information."

"And that's why you're on my list. What sensitive information have you been transferring recently?"

"The usual," Martin said with a vague shrug.

Tony couldn't work out whether not denying was the same as confessing. Okay, everyone had the right to remain silent. A right Tony frequently passed up, but wouldn't the natural response be to proclaim innocence? "You should feel free to join in this conversation any time."

"What if I were to tell you..." Martin said with a speculative air. "That I might know... someone."

"That's nice. Everyone should know someone."

"Someone who might know something about... what we're talking about."

"About adamantium robots and hydras?" Tony's reference to Doom and HYDRA barely produced a flicker in the man. In fact, if there was anything in the face, it was now vague confusion.

_This guy knows nothing._

Tony waited, but nothing more was forthcoming. But now Tony suspected that he was very slowly being wound up. This guy thinks he's a trickster. _Well, that's okay. Because we know how to deal with tricksters now don't we?  
_  
"Okay, well thank you for coming in Martin."

Finally, the man seemed derailed. "That's it?"

"Sure. I don't think it's you and whoever's doing this is smart. Not that I'm saying you're not. Just you can't help me. So, bye."

"Whoa, listen," Martin said, leaning forward. The air of mysterious agent was gone. Deep Throat had left the building. And now here came the true colours of Martin Cyrus; he was just a kid really. "It wasn't me, but I know who it is."

"Really?"

"Well, okay. Not _who_ as in someone, but I have their IP address and I'm monitoring their activity. The second they come back online then bam! I've got them!"

Martin was just a kid who had stumbled onto something big and was playing it for all he was worth. Play acting the great mysterious agent. Tony didn't think of himself as gullible, but he believed Martin. "That is pretty cool," he said with a smile.

Martin nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah. And I thought, you know, I could be like an honorary Avenger or something. Or, like, the Ironman's sidekick."

_Oh help me god.  
_  
"We'll see."

"That's all I ask, man."

Tony shook his head, but internally. "I'm going to leave this with you, Martin. These interviews are expected, but if I go digging around in the servers-"

"Say no more, Tony-"

"Mr Stark."

"Oh, right, Mr Stark."

"Just kidding. You can call me Tony."

"Thanks! You leave this to me, I'm all over this and I'll keep you appraised of the status of the sting. I'll give you hourly updates."

Tony raised a hand quickly. _What the hell, let the kid have his fantasy._ "Too much communication might tip them off. I need you to go dark on this. Only essential communications. Can you do that for me Martin?"

Martin had large, round eyes, like all his Christmas's had come at once. "Oh yeah. Yeah! Should we use codes?"

_This guy and Hogan would get on.  
_  
"Sure. Why don't you work up a few and let Jarvis know."

"Jarvis?"

Tony threw over a business card and told Martin to call the home number. "I'm leaving this with you."

"I won't let you down, Tony."

"One more thing; why didn't you just come to me when you saw somebody was getting illegal access to the blueprints? And why all the play-acting when you came in?"

Martin gave him an embarrassed little shrug. "I didn't think you'd believe me. I'm just a tech, after all."

xxx

"Mr Stark, there's someone here to see you."

Tony perked up. "Is he sexy?"

"I wouldn't say so," Molly said, a little stiffly.

That wasn't exactly any indication, though surely anything with a pulse thought Loki was sexy.

"He says he's here from the Strategic Hazard Intervention Espionage Logistics Directorate."

"How many eyes does he have?"

"Mr Stark, really," Molly snapped, a little flustered. She wasn't paid enough to judge the sex appeal and visual capacity of Mr Stark's various colourful guests. Though at least that nice, quiet doctor with the glasses was polite.

Tony said a bad word and was immediately reprimanded by his PA. "Just go get me a coffee, Molly." As she left, Tony muttered darkly, "And a machine gun."

Haskell walked forwards, pausing in the doorway. "May I come in?" The man seemed to live his life off a script, his path set by rules and order.

"No."

"I think you'll want to give me fifteen minutes of your time, Mr Stark. It would show willingness on your part and possibly help you at your re-entry interview."

Tony jerked his head. Haskell sat and smoothed out a crease in his trouser leg. He rested his hands neatly in his lap and looked up. "Mr Stark, SHIELD has become aware that the terrorist group, HYDRA are using Stark technologies to create bombs."

"Become aware because the _Iron Man_ brought them down."

"Brought one cell down, yes, Mr Stark."

"The arc reactors are none of your business."

"It is true that arc reactor technology is not the purview of SHIELD. HYDRA, on the other hand, are."

"The old HYDRA was. This is just a bunch of nut jobs using the old name," Tony argued. A lie, of course, given what Tony had seen at the HQ he and Loki raided. And given that they were certainly in an uneasy but growing alliance with Doom.

But it was a lie he had no issues telling. SHIELD was not going to stick their noses in this one.

"This is yet again an opportunity for you to come to SHIELD and ask for help. I would urge you not to pass it up this time." Haskell gave a little sigh as Tony remained sullen. "Very well. As you say, HYDRA does not present the same level of threat the 1940s organisation did. And thus far we see very little reason to involve ourselves unless we are asked. But we're monitoring the situation with keen interest."

Tony leant back in his chair, his feet on the desk. He caught up the stress ball someone had put on his desk, painted red and gold. Someone, somewhere in the office was having a laugh about that. He started throwing it up in the air and catching it, letting his very understandable bad temper peter out.

"You studied physics at Harvard. Tell me what you think about the arc reactor bombs."

"Present people with that much power and you can't be surprised if they turn it into a weapon."

Tony rolled his eyes. "I ask for science and again you get philosophical."

"Apologies. Clearly they've altered the basic design to force the reaction into a smaller space of combustion; consequentially, an exponentially focused explosion. So the bombs will not cause extensive, mass damage, but targeted destruction. Given all the explosions thus far have been in isolated regions, away from any high value targets, or targets at all, I would hazard to guess that the explosions so far have all been accidents or tests."

"Excuse me, '_basic design'_?" Tony asked indignity.

Haskell continued. "Therefore it is my conclusion that these bombs will be used strategically. If they can refine their design, which seems less than certain given their current progress. That being said, they will not be able to reduce it to the size of a warhead without reducing its destructive capacity."

"I've got one in my chest which proves you wrong."

"Yes Mr Stark. But you are you. And I sincerely doubt there are even a handful of people in this world who can duplicate your talents."

"That sounds like a complement."

"I merely highlight fact."

"Tease. So you think that-"

"The acts of terrorism are going to be local, defined and up close. Given HYDRAs history, it will likely be for an ideological reason."

"You can't just put an active arc reactor on a plane. Even an offline reactor gives off enough energy to alert any security team. And if you're going to put a bomb in a bag and leave it in a Central Park, then why not TNT and a bag full of nails? Why go to all this trouble?"

"So they need an incredibly intense, powerful and above all, directed explosion capable of destroying fabric of buildings but also disabling electronics."

A thought occurred then to Tony, but he kept it to himself. _Because, boys and girls, who do we know who's recently used an EM Pulse?_

Tony's eyes fixed on Haskell. Whatever else the man was, he was smart. Surely he had spotted that connection too? "Does SHIELD have any idea what their target is?"

"Do you, Mr Stark?"

Tony smirked. "You're answering my question with a question." Tony had a feeling he wouldn't get anything out of Haskall without a crowbar. And then that just tended to get messy. "Alright. Was that all you came to say?"

"Yes Mr Stark."

"Why you and not one of the others?"

"It was believed your fellow Avengers wouldn't have been able to be objective."

"Even Nat?"

"Agent Romenvoff is currently being debriefed. Our investigation into you and Loki Odinson is still ongoing, after all."

"Then why aren't I there?" Tony demanded.

"You have given us all the information we need for now. Though I have little doubt we will have follow up." Haskell tilted his head. "Is there anything you want to tell me?"

_I told Loki where the Helicarrier is in the mist of sex._

_In fact, exactly what you and everyone else has ever warned me would happen, happened._

_And now I'm just sitting here waiting for the massive fucking shoe to drop._

_Other than that... _"Nope."

_Loyalty and stupidity. When it comes down to it, it's pretty much the same thing, except in Disney it's called loyalty and the real world it's called stupidity. _

Haskell gave a brief nod and Tony could see him scribbling in the metaphorical notebook that wasn't there. A man who notes and notes everything.

Tony pulled himself up. "Well, that's that then. Here, you'll probably need this more than I will." Tony threw the ball over to Haskell.

The foam stress ball hit the clerk in the chest, dropped into his lap and rolled onto the floor. Haskell's blank gaze didn't flicker once. He didn't even twitch.

Tony stared. "Okay. That was weird." He pressed the intercom on his desk. Molly walked in.

Haskall took his cue to leave and stood. "Good day, Mr Stark."

"See you..." Tony said as the door closed. "You little creep."

Tony checked the clock and decided it was quitting time. In fact, it was almost five thirty. Longest he had spent in the office in years.

He had made it to the lobby when he heard the fast foot falls behind him. "Mr Stark."

He turned and wasn't massively surprised to see Bobby heading towards him. "What do you want, Doogie Howser?"

"I was hoping to speak to you before you left."

"I know." Tony turned and walked out the doors.

Bobby followed. He was persistent if anything. "I'm holding a press conference tomorrow morning. I'm asking you to sit with me and decide what I'm going to say."

"You'll tell them we're investigating the arc reactor bombs, you'll tell them we're doing everything in our power to stop the people doing this. You'll tell them the Iron Man is dealing with it."

"But they're not going to want to talk about the arc reactors. Yes, the bombs are a PR disaster. But Tony Stark with a man? That's sexy. That's in. That's yaoi all over the place."

"We are not yaoi," Tony said very firmly. Definitely not yaoi. "Don't ever use that word again." Tony could only imagine Loki's face if he was forced to explain the concept of yaoi to him.

Tony heard Bobby repeating his name all the way down the steps. When he got to the car, the guy was nose to nose with him. "You can't expect the world to love you no matter what."

"Why not?" Tony asked. He put his sunglasses on, gave the blonde idiot a smile, pulled open the car door and started the engine.

The passenger door opened and Bobby got in. "I've always wanted a ride in an Austin Martin."

"Well that's just rude. And presumptuous. And I'm not giving you a ride. Anywhere. Now skat."

"You drive, I'll talk."

"Great idea. Except I don't want to talk to you."

"What do I tell people about your new boyfriend?"

"You'll say nothing about my love life or I'll fire you."

"You can't fire me. Okay, you probably could fire me. But you don't want to."

"Oh I really do."

"You need me. I haven't drunk the coolaid, Stark. I don't think you're great. I don't think your some god. You need people like me and James around."

It almost took Tony a full minute to remember James was Jimmy.

_You know he's right.  
_  
Tony rolled his eyes and pulled out onto the road.

"They're going to ask about the bombs. They're going to ask about Hammer and they're going to ask about your boyfriend."

"How do you know what they're going to ask?"

"Because I'm good at my job okay? So, the bombs I can deal with. Hammer I can deal with, especially now. Didn't you hear? His latest pet project blew a hole in the ground and destroyed an entire town's power grid. Because of him, a couple of dozen little kittens and puppies at a local animal shelter had to be rehoused. That pure media gold, I'm telling you. So, first of all, what's this guy's name?"

"None of your business."

"What do I tell the press?"

"Tell them it's none of their business."

"Okay... What does he do?"

"Whatever he wants."

Bobby spent a long minute in silence as Tony drove. Then he said, "You know… hate me, think I'm bad at my job, fire me, blast me with one of your super lasers. You're still going to be stuck in the same situation that no matter how crazy your life is, you're still part of the real world. And it's not going to go away, even if you stick your fingers in your ears and hum really loudly." There was another pause.

Tony tapped the steering wheel with his fingers. He sighed. "His names Michael Janus. He works in a call center. No family."

"Okay, now we're getting somewhere. What call centre?"

"Rave Communications. But don't tell the press which or they'll start following him."

"Thanks for the heads up because it really is my first day in this job. Your last round of press in this area was over Martha Lockley. I've got to address that one. Did she turn out to be a Hammer spy?"

"I always knew she worked for Hammer."

"Was she stealing company secrets?"

"What? No!"

"Yeah but think of the story if she had been."

Tony rolled his eyes. This here was why the world media got so out of control. Spin doctors. Tony voiced his opinion and Bobby shrugged his indifference. "She's gone. Leave her alone," Tony said forcefully.

"Who's on top?"

"You're telling me that if the press asks you that, you're going to tell them?"

"No, that's just for me. Who's the woman?"

"No one's the woman." Tony stepped his foot down a little harder on the accelerator and enjoyed how Bobby's arm flew out to grip the arm rest in panic. "Why are people so interested in my personal life?"

"Because they don't have lives of their own," Bobby shrugged. "Because you have an interesting life. Because we can all dream. Who knows. I don't ask why, I just deal with it. Now, does Michael Janus have a background that might embarrass you or the company if the media got a hold of it?"

"He tried to destroy New York."

"Ha, ha, ha," Bobby said dryly.

_Lie by telling the truth._

"I'm talking about drugs. Alcohol. Prostitution, that sort of thing."

"No drugs. No stray ex-girlfriends or ex-boyfriends around the place as far as I know." Even if Loki had been having his way with Midgardian men and woman, that probably would have been back in the late Medieval Age.

"Big drinker?"

"I don't think so. He drinks, sure. But I've never seen him drunk. More the kind of guy to sit around with a glass of wine and expound about the moralities of an unjust universe."

"How on earth do you two make any sort of relationship work?" Bobby asked incredulously. _Give the little tic his due_, Tony thought. _He understands people well enough._

"Well, there's a lot of sex going on."

"There'd almost have to be."

"You want to give me session, Freud? What the hell would you know?"

"I've been married nine years."

"Seriously? What's wrong with you?" Tony asked amazed. Getting married at twenty-one. Fuck. Talk about a life sentence.

"I'm bringing it up now, because there's going to be a ton of shit like this. I mean, Tony Stark hooks up with a chick. That's old news. But Tony Stark with a guy? They're going to hound you. And him. You guys are going to be on the front page of every paper every time you do anything. You go to a park, they'll be there. You go out to a club? It's on all the channels. The day you and he adopt your first dog, or as the press like to call it, your first gay-baby, it's going to be an international media frenzy."

Tony's mind boggled momentarily at the idea of he and Loki getting a dog. Some sort of Asgardian hell hound, presumably. Tony didn't like the idea. He liked dogs, sure. But they were needy and difficult to look after and pined for constant attention.

_Ha ha look the fuck who's talking._

Bobby turned a serious face on him. "I want us to create a rapport. Believe it or not, I'm going to be your best friend, if what you want is privacy for you and your boyfriend. But that's only going to happen if you trust me to look after your press." Bobby was smart enough to know when he was loosing the battle. "Okay. I will do my best to keep Michael out of the news. But you two will have to do your part too and keep away from things that would bring you to the press's attention. Do you understand?"

Tony braked hard. "I'm done with this now. Out of the car."

Bobby, with an apparent lack of foresight, stepped out and looked around. He leant down to the window which Tony opened. "We're in the middle of nowhere," he pointed out.

"Well you should have thought of that when you got in. Bye."

Tony was halfway down the interstate in a blessedly silent car when he flicked a button on his car's console.

"Yes sir?" said the answering voice.

"Call Bobby a car would you? Coordinates are on my GPS."

"Very good, sir. I'll have it dispatched immediately."

_I'm just getting soft in my oldish age._


	60. Chapter 60: Change of Scene

Three weeks into his suspension and he was back in Arizona. There wasn't many places he could be, to be honest. He couldn't go abroad without Loki, and where was the fun in that? Besides, the god tended to kick up a tantrum if Tony disappeared too long without him. Massive drinking benders were boring, picking up girls was out of the question and the number of people trying to kill him lately had rapidly diminished, much Tony's chagrin.

The last Stark employee had left the lab, leaving their mad boss and CEO still at his desk. Tony barely looked up, so focused on a part of the engine that hadn't been working properly. He smiled as it finally clicked into life. "Jarvis, take a reading for me please."

"Functioning at full capacity, sir."

"Not too shabby," Tony said with quiet pride. There was no one around now to show off to, so Jarvis would have to do. "It was tricky, but I think I know how we can alter the designs."

"Well done, sir."

Tony jumped in vague surprise as a light pad was dumped on the table next to him.

"Everything looks good. I'm off now."

"Didn't know you where still here. Off where?" Tony asked.

"I have a life, Tony. I have a husband and kids who are expecting a phone call. Then I'm heading back to the hotel to sleep for an hour."

Tony looked up at Lin who was still in her lab coat, though Tony had rarely seen her out of it. She was the Stark Industries engineer he had chosen to head up the AOTS project and an old friend from MIT. He frowned now slightly. "You've got kids?"

"Three."

"And a husband?"

"You were at the wedding."

"I was?"

"You were drunk, but you were there. I remember. I had to kick you in the shin halfway through your speech when you started on a complete list of the number of times and positions we did in collegue."

"That I remember. The shin kicking. And the sex, of course."

"Didn't I read in the papers that you've got someone to be going home to now?"

"Three kids? I mean, three? Listen, if you've been that bored you should have mentioned it. I don't recall giving you the time to have three kids."

"I managed it," Lin said dryly, sitting on the table as he looked up at her from his chair.

He liked Lin. You didn't get massive amounts of women in the engineering world and she made up for that by being one of the best engineers he knew full stop. She was small and rather elfin, her Chinese heritage giving her a delicate frame and long black hair. She looked so innocent… until she head-butted you.

She could hold her own.

You'd think it would be the macho sexist man causing the problems in an office wouldn't you? But no, in Tony Stark's company, it wasn't the macho sexist man causing the complaints but _making_ the complaints once Lin had rammed his head into a wall.

Tony had the urge to introduce her to Natasha, sit back and watch the cat fight of the year.

Tony had stopped Jimmy from firing her on countless occasions. Stark Industries needed Lin because Lin wasn't an Avenger and didn't go off on drunk joyrides. She was reliable... if you didn't count the occasional burst of violence. Tony had known from the beginning that she and his other handpicked engineers would be pushing Stark Industries after Tony Stark had driven his car off that final road and into the ultimate lamppost.

See? He wasn't a complete moron. Even in the height of his selfish playboy years, he had thought about these things.

Of course, back then, Lin and the others were supposed to be working for Pepper, who had understood their eccentricities. She had dealt with Tony Stark for years, after all. But now they were working with Jimmy who, while he understood business, didn't understand engineers.

"So, what's he like?"

Tony glanced away, knowing full well where this conversation was going. "Who?"

"Michael Janus, official stud."

"I beg your pardon?"

"I'm telling you Tony, if I were a teenage girl again, I'd be cutting out his photo and pinning it up on my dorm wall."

"He's fine."

"Details!"

"Shouldn't you be off making a fourth?"

"Alls not well in paradise then? Don't look at me like that. You're too easy to read."

Tony thought about it for a moment. Then decided he probably didn't have anything to lose. "I know you're probably thinking… the whole… sugar daddy thing, but it's not true. He's…"

"Oh _you're_ the woman?"

"I'm not a woman."

"Makes sense."

"Lin, you are, without a doubt the most amazing gal I know after Pepper. You've known me for longer than either of us feel comfortable with discussing. So you know that I don't mean this in any way as derogatory or offensive, but get your fine, fine ass away from me."

"See ya."

"Come back. What do you mean, 'makes sense'? How does me being... er-"

Lin tossed her black hair over her shoulder and shrugged. "Because you are. Pepper, Obi. You turned to these people and said 'I don't want to deal with anything that messes up my little perfect world so please, please take care of all this for me so I get to be a thirty-seven year old infant'."

Tony felt himself squirming internally. Isn't this exactly what he had said to himself the other day? It's a terrible thing, being so easy to read. Aloud, he said, "Are you doing me right now? Is that your impression of what I sound like?"

"You don't like living in the real world so all your life you turn to people to take all the pain and hard stuff away."

"Doesn't even sound anything like me. Besides, I'm an Avenger. That's not shying away."

"Yes it is. It's a fantasy world where you get to play superhero."

"Why does everyone I speak to lately give me a talking to?"

"As long as I've known you, you've seen everything as a big joke. You're not like the rest of us with mortgages and mould in the bathroom and a seven year old that picks up every cold on the playground and a teething baby with an unhealthy interest in live wall sockets. You don't have to deal with any of this, you just surround yourself with people who will deal with the real world so you get to be the eternal playboy."

"You're fired."

"That's why we were all devastated when Pepper left. We all thought you were going to take a headlong nose dive. But you didn't."

Because three months later, Loki had waltzed in. What would have happened had he not?

"What about Rhodey?"

Tony had spent a few weeks on this one and believed he had finally come up with a way of saying it. "Rhodey's a great guy. Gay people make him uncomfortable, that's all. Military family since year dot, you know how it is."

"Well he should get the fuck over it."

"There's no law that says you have to like guys who like guys."

"Yeah, but there's a law that says you have to like Tony Stark, right?" Lin asked with a smile.

That made Tony feel a little better. He swiveled in his chair for a bit. "The problem is, he- I mean L-Michael wants me to be a… stay at home playboy. He hates the suit to the point were I see him glaring at it when he thinks I'm not looking. He doesn't even want me designing."

Lin made an indifferent noise. When Tony pulled a face, she laughed. "Oh, dear!" she mocked. "And you think you're the first person in the whole wide world to deal with this? Poor, poor Tony. Grow up. Every relationship in the world has a man believing their partner should be locked up at home; ready with open arms and open legs."

"You're not pulling any punches are you? Are you still mad because I made you get on a plane to have a half an hour interview in my New York office?"

"A twenty-four hour round trip on plane and car, culminating at your office, where you accused me of selling Stark Industry designs? Now why would I be completely fucked off about that?"

"You know I didn't really believe it."

"So you had me get on a plane for an _fifteen minute_ interview just for some giddy power trip?"

"… Maybe."

"I'm going to kill you."

Tony nodded grudgingly. "Carry on."

"What more is there to say? If Michael wears the pants in the relationship, then you've got to take a back seat. Welcome to the world Tony. That's just the way it is."

"What about you? You're in the middle of Arizona. Kevin-"

"Keith."

"Is all the way back in New York with your tribe of offspring? You're not exactly chained to the stove."

Lin smiled. "I made it clear on our wedding day what would happen to his balls should he try to assert them."

Tony considered it and shook his head. "Yeah… In my case I'm not entirely sure I could follow through on that threat."

"Squeamish?"

"Nah. He's just too fast for me and I'd feel it for weeks."

"Then I don't know what to tell you. But if you think you're the first person to have ever had this problem then you've got your head far further up your ass than I could ever have imagined. And that's saying something because I've always thought the worst of you."

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it. I would say that if you can't work it out, it's not a problem that's going to go away overnight. If he isn't going to budge a little, and you're not going to budge a little, then I won't be surprised to see a new one in next month's papers."

"No. Not going to happen. Not this time."

Lin glance over at him, the usual darkly cheerful look she wore was replaced by something gentle and curious. "Wow. He's really the one?"

Tony shrugged. Not really an answer, but even with Lin he couldn't get into specifics. "Have you met a guy called Bobby?"

"The PR guy? Not really. He seems like a dick though."

Tony smiled. "You're fantastic."

"I know. Anyway, I'm blowing this joint. I've got to go call my kids before they go to school."

"What school starts at midnight?"

"It's five thirty in the morning. It's eight thirty in New York."

Tony checked his watch curiously. "It's five thirty?"

"Yeah."

"Why are you still here?"

"Why are _you_ still here?" Lin gibed as she walked away. "If I had an ass like his to go home to I wouldn't be pawing over a valve."

"I'm probably heading back to Malibu for a few weeks. I'll leave you to finish the rest of the AOTS."

"About fucking time."

"I heard that!" Tony he saw the woman disappearing through the doors, her mobile already to her ear.

Tony smiled and turned back to the table. Lin, Jimmy and now Happy all stationed at Stark Industries. If Loki really was hell bent on pulling him away from this life, then he was damn well going to make sure that he left people he knew could carry on this company without him.

He took the valve back into the main hangar, his footsteps echoing in the silence of the metal halls. He liked being here when there was no one else around. Everything was dark and shut down for the night. It gave him time to think.

Tony looked up now at his AOTS. The body was complete, the interior almost perfect. Just a matter of hooking things up and running tests now. This was the boring part. Tony was tempted just to take the thing out and test it in flight, but, while he'd risk his own life, risking those around him was something he was trying really hard not to do anymore.

Ah well. The boring part was what he paid Lin for.

He hooked up the repaired valve and made a note in the engineers log to start tests in the morning. And that was it. His major distraction while he was suspended was now an achievement, but also rather depressing.

Yesterday, he and Loki had their first argument in a car. All couples go through the set arguments; in the car, at a restaurant, on the street. It just happened when you were together with someone for a while.

It was on the way back from Rave Communications which, outside, looked just like your usual run down office block. Inside was a mass of SHIELD technology, consoles and computer banks everywhere. And a staff kitchen, as there always was. Here Tony had found Loki holding court, in a small way.

It wasn't even as though Loki spent any real time at Rave. Or SHIELD. Whatever. He popped in so Tony could be seen taking him away. But from what Tony had gathered, he had taken to lingering a little longer. And while the soldiers weren't stupid and kept him away from anything important, they didn't stop him from hanging around. It was a curious thought; who was keeping an eye on who? Maybe they were keeping eyes on each other, waiting for the first blink.

Tony rolled his eyes. Loki was on the hot list of potential SHIELD enemies and everyone here knew what he'd done. Yet here he was already with a small following of people who clearly thought him, if not reformed, then still fascinating enough to want to spend time with him.

Tony knew he couldn't be too harsh on the SHIELD soldiers and scientists. After all, he had fallen for the charms as well, hadn't he?

On the way back to the Mailbu home had come the argument, when Tony had announced they were off to France. "It's that time again, the Monaco Grand Prix. You're going to love it."

"Tony… we can't be seen outside the country. You know that."

"Fast cars and drinking, best combination. And I've got a team there; got to put in an appearance for morales sake. Though that guy has never forgiven me for taking his place in the race last time. In all fairness, it wasn't as though I _knew_ the car was going to get destroyed. Some people are so dramatic."

"Wouldn't you rather I take you back home and make you scream?"

"I want to go to the Grand Prix," Tony had said stubbornly.

"Then you go without me."

"Come as a woman! Come as a different man!"

"Yes, I imagine SHIELD will be entirely convinced by that little masquerade," Loki had said sarcastically.

"I don't want to argue with you when I'm driving. We're going to the Grand Prix."

"Then pull over and we'll argue on the side of the road. Because I'm not."

Tony glared. "Great. Fucking great. You're always screwing the fucking rules, then the minute I want you too, suddenly you're a choir boy."

"There's a time and a place to-"

"Shove it."

It had descended pretty much into name calling after that, until both sat, stubborn and vexed, glaring out the window ahead of them. It had made the ride home unbearably tense. They hadn't even fucked that night and that was a rare occurrence. But Loki hadn't disappeared. And Tony hadn't retreated down to the lab. They sat in the same room, both still angry, but neither wanting to walk out and leave things hanging.

"Look… I just… want to do things with you. I want you in my world." What Tony didn't say was he had the sensed that Loki was planning something. Something big. All the clues were there, all the signs. Tony wanted to pull his dark god away from it. To save them, if possible, from their own stupidity.

Unfortunately, the only way Tony Stark could save the God of Mischief was to propose a plan just as stupid but, in his defense, would have a far lower body count.

"I'm here, Tony."

"No you're not," Tony muttered bitterly as he walked down the mobile steel platform step ladder, still wrapped up in the memory of the argument. He headed back over to the blue prints.

Everything was ready, he had designed the perfect aircraft for SHIELD. Now it was just a matter of letting them know about it... without them knowing that Tony was the one who let them know about it. It makes sense when you think about it. It was one of Loki's plans he was encouraging Tony to do. While the god hated the Avengers and Tony's participation, he did at least concede that Tony wanted to be part of them. So he was helping. In his way.

"Finished it," Tony announced to the world in general. "What do I do now?"

"Would you like me to call you a car back to the Malibu house, sir?"

"Nah, I can drive."

"I have been working on creating a succinct explanation for the meaning of life, sir," Jarvis supplied helpfully. "There is great philosophical debate over this point. However, through my research into this subject, the answer seems perfectly clear."

Tony packed up the last of his little bits and asked with a smile, "Okay, I'll bite. Jarvis, what is the meaning of life?"

"The property or quality that distinguishes living organisms from dead organisms and inanimate matter, manifested in functions such as metabolism, growth, reproduction, and response to stimuli or adaptation to the environment originating from within the organism."

Tony gave this some thought. "That seems... a little uninspiring."

"Should I try the Thesaurus, sir?"

"Was this all some long set up for a joke?" Tony rolled his eyes. "Thank you Jarvis."

Tony was heading back to his office when Jarvis announced over the tannoy, "Sir, Loki is in your office."

Tony sighed. "Coming."

He hadn't even made it to the corridor when Jarvis said, "He is very impatient, sir."

"I'm coming!" Tony said. And walked slower. _Fucker._

He opened the door to see Loki metaphorically tapping his foot. Tony smiled reflexively and walked over to his desk where he had left half of a meal. Some of the fries were still edible, but cold. He sat on the corner of the desk, his leg swinging and said, "Hey. AOTS is finished."

"The Promise of Obedience," Loki said.

_Shit._

"Good very early in the morning to you too, cupcake."

"Don't cross me on this, Tony."

At first, Tony pretended not to remember making that promise. Until a flash of Loki's eyes warned Tony off of his current course. He tried a different tact. "Loki that was months and months ago. Haven't we pretty much moved past that?" Loki's look suggested they hadn't. "Fine. Another week of sex dungeon then?"

"I've told you before how I feel about that word, Tony."

"What do you want?"

"Come with me, now. We're going to Asgard."

Tony snorted. "I am not."

"So you go back on your Promise?"

Tony hesitated. _What am I so scared of?_

_That he won't bring me back._

_Good point.  
_  
He shuddered. But then again, didn't Pepper used to give him hours and hours of lecturing on how a relationship was give and take? Didn't Lin just tell him he had to budge if Loki wouldn't? Didn't Bruce say... all the things that Bruce always says which were sensible but boring?

"Fuck," he muttered. "I hate Asgard."

"I do not care," Loki said coldly, "what your feelings are on the matter. You will come with me whether you want to or not. But break your Promise to me, boy, and you will regret it I assure you."

Tony met the harsh eyes briefly. He grunted non-committedly. "It's difficult to have any amount of blind trust in this area," Tony said. He gave Loki a pointed look, "After last time."

_After you threatened to keep me in a room with no escape for just a couple of centuries. No biggie._

Loki stepped forward. "You're coming with me. Now."

Tony glared. "Let's get a few things straight. One, I hate Asgard. Two, I don't come when you call, I'm not a dog. Three, I've got a conference call with Tokyo in two hours."

"Which you were planning to attend late, throw some snide remarks around and leave with a triumphant air of smugness," Loki said succinctly. "Do not pretend I don't know you, boy."

_Well, yes okay. I was going to do that. But I was looking forward to it._

"Fine. Fine. Only because I promised and only because you're making me." Tony shut down his computer with bad grace. "Great. That's my weekend ruined."

"I think you'll find that it is your fortnight ruined."

"Sir, there's an incoming urgent call from SHIELD."

Tony floundered as both pieces of information fought for dominance in his thinking. _SHIELD be damned. _"Two weeks? You didn't say-"

Arms closed over him, blackness shut down his vision, his hearing, his sense of surrounding.

Tony staggered to the closest surface. Obviously it had to be a bed, didn't it? He landed heavily. The pain of the crossing was nothing anymore, not since the binding and not like what he had felt the first time he'd come to Asgard. But the tightness and the sense of being turned inside out was still overwhelming. It was a level of discomfort seemingly reserved for crossing into Asgard. He groaned, hissing curses.

Loki grabbed his upper body, pulling Tony up into the middle of the four poster, forcing him down on his back and began kissing and petting him almost wildly. They were back in Loki's quarters. Tony remembered being there like it was yesterday.

"Can I even begin to describe how little I'm in the mood?" Tony sulked as Loki's hands pulled down his fly and slipped in to grasp and grope.

"Stay still,"Loki breathed.

It wasn't that Loki wanted sex, Tony knew. Loki wanted comfort, like a child in an uncomfortable or overwhelming situation play with their toys as a source of reassurance. So Loki, in the face of a reality he still wasn't entirely happy with, took a bizarre pleasure in using his boy as a distraction.

Tony grumbled peevishly, but let Loki pull his jacket away and slip his other hand under the shirt, stroking over the rippled muscles there. Truth be told, but never told Loki if he could help it, the petting was just as comforting to Tony too. He didn't want to be in Asgard. At least for ten minutes he could close his eyes and just be with his lover.

The long cool fingers ran up and down his cock, squeezing and twisting slightly. He turned his head and closed his eyes, just relaxing and trying to gather his mind.

So wrapped up in his meditative haze, Tony only just registered the sound of the door.

"Brother, you-" Thor cut off abruptly.

Tony jerked and tried to get up. _Fucking shit!_ His t-shirt was pushed up to his neck, his trousers opened wide, though still mercifully on, his hair tufted up untidily. But Loki was straddling his legs, one powerful hand pressed over the arc reactor, the strength forcing him down on the bed.

Loki's other hand was grasped firmly around Tony's cock, with Thor standing not meters away.

"Let go of… _that_," Tony hissed, glaring at Loki.

"No," Loki answered with a nasty smile, "he must learn to knock."

Loki didn't let go, didn't move from Tony, but turned to gaze at Thor. While Loki's left hand pulled away from Tony's chest so he could turn, the second Tony tried to remove himself, Loki's right hand squeezed warningly and not at all pleasurably.

_Ouch!_

Tony gritted his teeth and slumped down resentfully, knowing there wasn't anything he could do at this point. Loki would have his game.

"Yes?" Loki asked Thor and his tone was completely causal.

Loki's thumb was working over and over the now slippery head. Tony felt his hip's pushing up, his back arching slightly and his eyes rolling back. He was biting through his tongue in his desperation not to moan. His fingers tangled themselves in the silk sheets, gripping tightly.

Thor turned away slightly from the bed, glaring with increasing discomfort at a games board on a table near the fire. "The All Father has requested your presence as soon as you had seen to Tony."

Tony objected to Thor's attitude. He was talking about Tony like he was Loki's new pet or something. _Seen to_ Tony? Like a child at bedtime? And talking about him in like he wasn't there or couldn't understand?

Though Tony wasn't sure that Thor talking directly to him right now would make him feel any better about this.

Every instinct in Tony pushed at his tongue to make some sort of joke, some scathing remark to relieve the tension. But the situation was too much and his cock was twitching in the powerful hand. Never could more command be exerted over a man than this. Loki was in full control of Tony and could determine his pain, pleasure or complete humiliation with so little effort.

Tony was entirely at the mercy of Loki.

Loki's thumb worked a little harder now, Tony gritted his teeth further and closed his eyes, his whole body shaking. Loki could make him cum right here in front of Thor and all Tony could do was grip the bed sheets and pray that Loki took pity. His head craned back and he pressed his face into a pillow, cringing as a rebellious moan forced its way out of his throat.

"I will attend presently, brother," Loki purred. "Tony still needs some more… seeing to."

"I will meet you outside the Grand Halls," Thor muttered and turned to leave.

"Wait, brother. Stay a while-"

_No! For fucks sake you asshole!_

"-and tell me what the All Father wants of me," Loki asked, sounding genuinely curious.

Tony body spasmed slightly as he fought back the sudden need to release. _Fuck, fuck, fuck! Oh fuck! _Loki's thumb was pressing so firmly, rubbing so rapidly. Tony's legs shook and a bead of sweat ran down his hairline. He was gasping like he was drowning, his toes were pointing, he could feel it. His hips were still desperately pressing against Loki like a begging dog. Only his mind was will keeping up the resistance because his entire body was now on Loki's side. Traitor.

Thor stood by the door way, looking at the fire now. "I... it's..."

_Get the fuck out Thor, what's the matter with you!_

"I will tell you outside the Grand Halls," he said firmly and left quickly, leaving the door open in his rush.

"Goodbye, Thor," Loki called with a smile. "There now. He'll learn not to barge in like a great ox. Isn't that so, my pet?"

Tony exhaled with a harsh grunt, still trying to hold back every sound he was desperate to make, the weight of it tight in his chest. His jaw was tense, his eyes crossed and blurred, his body shuddering. His cock was pulsing in Loki's hand as he now pumped with long, pressing strokes. "Such a beautiful cock, my love. An instrument of perfect weight and size and my, don't I play you well."

_Fucking psycho twisted sick fucking dick fucking pathological manic fucking- _"Door," Tony hissed through gritted teeth.

Loki leaned in, seemly very curious and eager to hear what Tony was saying, but with a dark glitter in his eyes which only proved his maliciousness. "I'm sorry, my love?"

"Door," Tony repeated with a gasp. "Open."

Loki looked over his shoulder. "Oh. So it is." He turned back and started kissing Tony delicately around his face, over his brow, down his nose, over his cheeks and jawline.

"Close," Tony ground out as his legs squirmed violently.

"I'm busy," Loki said in a resentfully tone.

Tony's body jerked again as Loki's tongue snaked out and lapped at his pulsing jugular. And the door was still open. "Magic!"

"Hum… no. No, I do not think so, pretty sweet thing. You're going to scream out my name when you come, yes you will. And you're so close now. You can feel it, can't you, my lovely boy? You can feel that tightening… so beautiful. You're positively slick with sweat, trembling all over; fighting it back even though you know there's no hope to stop me. Oh, I do love it when you're being stubborn." Loki leaned in, running his tongue over and over Tony's ear. "You are going to cum, loudly, screaming my name and everyone will know how much you want to be here."

Tony was panting, gasping, clutching desperately at Loki's arms, writhing against the strong body. "N-gh!" Tony objected, but couldn't hold back a second longer. "Loki!" he screamed.

The word echoed through golden halls.

xxx

Tony woke up alone, which was a pain. It meant he was going to have to keep his murderous anger going until he saw Loki again. And that meant he could be in a mood for hours. And it was always hard to keep up the rage when he was feeling so wonderful.

Fuck Loki and his sick mind.

_Fuck me and mine._

Tony pulled himself up and threw a leg over the bed. He hadn't even touch the floor when he heard, "Don't."

He swung round to see behind him Loki standing there in jeans and a t-shirt. That was just a little gift for Tony. Here in Asgard, it was probably Tony who was going to have to dress to fit his surroundings. But at least here, for them, Loki was wearing what Tony would pick for him.

"I thought you'd be off with your Father," Tony snapped angrily.

"I am."

Tony paused and shook his head. "I'll never get used to it."

"You will."

Arms were pulling him back into the bed. Tony groaned and let himself be pulled back in. "For the love of-there's more to life than sex."

"Of course. But I prefer to indulge in the finer things in life. Why would I care about art and music and sunsets when I can craft my world in your body?"

"What's going on?"

Loki sighed wearily. "Odin's in the middle of one of his speeches. Honour, integrity, loyalty. Fairly boring us to tears, but there we are. Kings must have their audiences, after all." Loki chuckled and lathed his tongue over Tony's ear. "How many times did I, in my youth, spend wondering the forests of Asgard while my body remained still dutifully and respectfully at the King's side nodding to every platitude."

"And if he calls you on it?"

"My mind can work on many levels. I am coherent here as I am there."

Tony envied that bitterly. But he comforted himself that Loki wasn't human, so he couldn't be jealous. Except he was. Loki wasn't intelligent, not like Tony was intelligent. Loki was… just talented. _Fucker._

"That wasn't always true though, was it?"

"I had centuries to practice, before anyone realized I could do it."

Tony relaxed in the warm arms. "Just before we left, SHIELD tried to get in touch."

"Do you care?" Loki asked, his tone incredulous.

Guilt tugged at his soul. Of course he cared. SHIELD wasn't just SHIELD; his friends were there. Still... he was suspended, right? And what had he just said? He didn't come when people called.

Tony stared up into the face of his beauty and smiled. "Nah. Got you, haven't I?"

"Always, Tony."

Tony smiled and moved back so they could both sit against the headboard. "Always thought this was a nice room. Could do with a plasma TV though."

"Nowhere to plug it in," Loki pointed out idly. "Which reminds me; write me a list of things you need from Malibu. I will return and collect it. I can bring a light pad or two. Anything you need."

"Clothes."

"You will not need those."

Tony smiled at the leering Loki. "I'm not dressing up Renaissance again."

"Not even for me? I do prefer you in Asgardian clothes."

"I prefer you in jeans. Your ass looks so good in skinny jeans."

"Thank you."

Tony rested his head back against the wood. "Maybe if you're good, we'll play dress up. But I want my clothes. My jackets, jeans, sunglasses-"

"Sunglasses," Loki repeated with a roll of his eyes.

"My Black Sabbath t-shirt, Loki. I have to have my Black Sabbath t-shirt. And my music. I'm going to need things to do given this place doesn't even have a fucking-"

"Tony."

"Sorry. No clubs, no bars, no bowling alleys, nothing." Tony paused. "What's happening now?"

Loki knew what Tony meant. "He's still speaking, only the theme seems to be more on future plans-" Loki paused, laughed darkly and angrily. "He's going to renew his intentions to make Thor king."

"Wasn't that a given?"

"So everyone believes. Though given recent events… the Avengers and the Jane girl, there was a certain amount of ambiguity. Joining Midgardian warriors to defend their home, rather than your own, is hardly an act of heroism in Asgardian terms. Marrying and purposing to bind with a Midgardian… not only that, but insisting that she in turn would become Queen. Now, were he to make her a mistress, perhaps. A Court Consort. Understandable, acceptable. But the belief of the Asgardian Court was that the Lady Sif would become Queen of Asgard. Many strategic plans have been foiled," Loki finished with a tone of delight.

"Yours?"

"No, boy. I am never out maneuvered in the political world. You would do well to remember you are lucky enough to be the beloved Thrall of the god of chaos."

"Noted."

_Two weeks in Asgard. Well fuck._

_Still... maybe it's time for a change of scene._

"I love you, Tony."

Tony groaned with dread. "Fuck... what have you done this time?"

**A/N: Sixty chapters. Good grief. Good a time as any to break in with a quick note. **

**Thank you everyone for following the story to this point! It's really amazing to see how many enjoy it. Thank you for your lovely reviews and follows. Thank you to all the frequent readers and posters - it's always wonderful to hear from you!**

**I also want to thank Callistontheweb for her amazing translation; LadyLoops for proof reading (retrospectively, given I'm terrible at remembering to send things out _before_ I post them!); NinjaCookieXD for just being there as another wonderful writer to talk to and isahbellah for adding me to here amazing FrostIron stories list and giving Lessons such an amazing review.**

**There's a dozen other people I should thank, but it's going to make for some dull reading, so just thank you, thank you everyone!**


	61. Chapter 61: A Curiosity

The question was why had Loki dragged him to this glided hell hole? Other than the usual reasons; insanity, possessiveness and demented whim.

Given that Loki always had about half a dozen reasons for doing anything, Tony decided that one of them might just be the Asgardian marriage ceremony of Jane and Thor.

Asgard was buzzing with the jittery excitement as all prepared for the ceremony. Servants were, not exactly running – Tony imagined there were probably rules about that – but moving at speed down the corridors. The halls were busier with more decoration, if that was even possible, and dozens of finely clad Asgardians were floating about like abstracted peacocks.

The first morning of the two week holiday in Asgard, Tony and Loki woke late. It had been a difficult night, given that for Tony it was daytime. He would have to get his body clock onto Asgardian time. Loki had eventually threatened to knock him out if he didn't stop tossing in the bed. That of course hadn't encouraged Tony to sleep, but did at least make him less inclined to talk to Loki while the god was trying to sleep.

The marriage wasn't until the evening of Tony's first day. Time enough to drop in on Jane and Thor to do the obligatory congratulations; good lucks; don't you look beautiful, you too Jane.

"I am so pleased that you were able to come," Thor said, beaming.

Tony didn't have the heart to say that he actually hadn't had a clue where he was going or why.

Thor looked away slightly, then said in a slightly lowered tone, "I have been much vexed over this wedding; I have not been thinking clearly. If I had, I would have never-"

"No, honestly, it's fine," Tony said quickly. "Really. I've been caught doing worse."

"What happened?" Jane asked.

"Nothing," Thor and Tony said practically simultaneously.

Jane narrowed her eyes but let it go. She was decked out in full Asgardian mode; a dress made of heavy material with complex gold embroidery. It was a bit of a culture shock for a woman born and raised in West Virginia, who subsequently spent her life in tiny towns with no light pollution, aka, in the middle of fucking nowhere. The heavy train of the dress seemed to go on forever. It honestly wasn't the most attractive thing he had seen a woman wearing.

Jane caught Tony's look and waved a finger at him. "Not a word," she said sharply as Thor moved to greet other guests. "He did my wedding for me, now I'm doing this for him."

"You look wonderful."

"No I don't. I look like a guy in drag," she mumbled angrily. "This dress was made for someone far top heavier than I am. Not to mention a couple of feet taller. The things I do for him," Jane muttered bitterly.

"Well, knock him down with a car again. It'll cheer you up."

Jane walked him away from Thor and the door into a corner. "I wanted to ask... about the binding."

"You're doing that today too?"

"No. But it's coming up..." Jane looked at him and Tony saw the vague distress breaking through that strong facade. "What the fuck am I letting myself in for, Tony? This isn't my world. There's no PL spectrometers here. Where's my telescopes? Where's my whiteboard for fucks sake?"

"I hear you girl."

Jane rubbed her hands together unconsciously. "Still, I love him. And I'm not a child, I know love doesn't instantly make everything work, but... but I'd rather try to make things work with him than live in my perfectly working world without him."

"Really?"

"You wouldn't? For him?"

"Well... maybe. For that smile and those eyes. He has a rugged charm for a guy with a big hammer."

"I meant Loki," Jane said tersely.

"Oh right. Him. Sure. Why not?"

Jane rolled her eyes and turned back to a mirror, trying to adjust the dress with little sign that she believed it was going to get any better. "I'm glad you're here at least. I mean, we don't exactly know each other. But you know better than anyone in the world what I'm going through."

"Tony," Thor called.

They turned to see Loki standing with Thor. Tony gave his last good lucks to Jane and wondered over to his lover. Loki gave a respectful nod to the bride and groom, and took Tony away by the arm. "I wish you were in Asgardian-"

"I ran this by Jane, she said fine."

"Jeans and a jacket? For an Asgardian wedding, you're supposed to-"

"You hauled me away from my home planet at a moment's notice then tried to jerk me off in front of your brother, then dragged me to his wedding which I had no idea was happening. I told you, I'll only play dress up if you're good and you're so far from that."

"Am I bad?"

"In so many ways."

The main event was being held in the Throne room. People were currently gathering in the great or grand hall, Tony still wasn't sure what these places were called. The whopping enormous room where they usually dined; it was only just smaller than the Throne Room, but generally had a more domestic feel to it than the room which held the seat of power. One side of the room was open with a balcony as long as the room.

As they walked in, there was a noticeable hush as eyes turned to them. Loki's hand squeezed his, but the god shouldn't have been worried for his boy. As far as Tony Stark was concerned, a room that didn't fall silent and stare when he walked in was a room full of blind and deaf people.

Attention. Last time he had been here, he had been a brief moment of curiosity, then was completely ignored. It had taken becoming the thrall of a god, but Tony finally felt as dozens of eyes stared at him, he was finally back where he belonged, the centre of attention.

"We will not be bothered now," Loki said softly, leading Tony down the steps into the room. "But after the wedding, many will want to meet you."

"I can deal with that."

"Try not to cause any arguments."

"No promises."

The ceremony was held late in the day and it would be dusk by the time it was over Loki warned. It was going to be long and dull. Loki's eyes were scanning the room and a little smile was forming on his mouth. Tony grabbed a glass as it went past on a gold tray and waved it front of Loki. "What's this?"

"It's safe. Slightly alcoholic, but nothing you can't handle."

Tony took a long drink and gave it an appreciative look. "Nice. Tastes like Malibu rum."

"Hum."

"Please don't tell me your planning mischief?"

Loki smiled. "Father spent the better part of an hour this morning lecturing me not to do so. Well... nothing is planned as of yet. But there must be something..." A hand was stroking Tony's side. "There's always potential, even in the smallest things."

"Don't fuck up Thor's wedding."

"Why not?"

"It's mean."

Loki laughed at Tony's sentiment and Tony for his part just rolled his eyes. The hand was stroking so gently. Petting and rubbing up and down his back and hip.

The public lover, gentle and wicked. One day Tony was going to have to sit down and write a list of all the Loki's he knew because keeping track of them was a fucking nightmare sometimes.

"Tony Stark."

Loki muttered something bitter under his voice. They turned. Frigga was calling them over. She was resplendent in a similar style dress to Jane's, showing exactly how it was supposed to be worn. In deference to the bride, it was far plainer and clearly not meant to be a draw on the eye. But anything this woman wore would draw attention, she was... er... pleasing to look at. Let's leave it there.

Somehow Tony felt that Loki's love for him wouldn't save him from any resulting repercussions from hubba-hubba, mother-in-law jokes.

"It is almost time. Come stand with me, Tony."

"We are going to stand by Thor," Loki said smoothly.

Frigga smiled. "You stand by your brother as is your duty. Tony should stand with me."

"Tony is my thrall. Where else should he stand but with me?"

"Looking good, Mrs Odin."

"Thank you, Tony." Frigga turned slightly and Tony, taking his cue, gave her his arm.

Loki looked like he was going to argue. Then he bowed his head and gave Tony a little look before leaving.

"So... a wedding. Great."

"I will look after you." She led him up the stairs to the Throne and he came to stand by her side. She stood nearest the Throne. The apparent order people were arranging themselves on the steps was in no way a small a blatant sign of who was currently in favour.

Loki was at the other end of the hall, waiting with Thor. It seemed to be the best man sort of thing. Tony decided he wasn't going to be reading too much into events. He was just going to do his best to resist the urge to do anything stupid.

Tony glanced up as Frigga's eyes rested momentarily on Loki. Then she smiled at Tony. She leaned in conspiratorially. "I hate to confess it, Tony. But you are my hostage."

"Fortunately for you, I'm a professional hostage."

Frigga's eyes rested again on Loki again, who looked… well, the only word was sulky. Loki looked away, avoiding his mother's gaze.

"Loki has always had a… a tendency to cause trouble for Thor on his days of triumph. A bent towards mischief. I many ways, my objections are few. All kings need a man such as Loki, to remind them that they are only a man. But it is my desire there to be no trouble today as today is also for the Lady Jane."

"_Lady_ Jane?"

"It is how my son requests she be referred to," Frigga said smoothly.

"So you're keeping me here with you," Tony said.

Frigga smiled. "It might be best for Loki not to have anyone to show off to."

Tony snorted. "If you think that I have any control over Loki, intentional or otherwise-"

"You most certainly do."

Tony decided not to argue. The last thing he wanted to do was launch into an aria about what a bastard Loki was to his mother. After all, he had already done that once.

Fandral bounced up the steps and stood next to Tony. "This is all terribly exciting," he said with a smile. "Who'd have thought Thor would ever settle? Especially when he had his pick of every delicate creature in Asgard; why, if I could have a different filly every night I wouldn't even dream of... er... Good evening, your highness."

"Fandral," Frigga answered with a gracious little bow of the head.

Fandral made a face at Tony, half chagrined and half alarmed. Then he leaned in. "Can't imagine a man like you ever considered this? Before Loki?"

"Fuck no," Tony muttered back, equality incredulous. "Marriage? You get less for manslaughter."

Fandral laughed and hit Tony on the back, which almost made his knees buckle with the force. _Fucking Asgardians. _"We did not spend enough time together when you were last here. I hope we can recertify that; I'm sure you have many stories."

"Thousands."

"Good man."

Tony considered the matter for a brief moment and decided _why the hell not_? So far, Fandral had seemed, of all the Warriors Three, less conceited. Oh, make no mistake; he was like the other backward giants here, a smug, haughty pompous dick. But unlike the other warriors, he didn't seem to greet Loki with open hostility.

To put it bluntly, he seemed like just a genuinely... _nice guy_. Still arrogant and brash, but at least in a heart of gold kind of way. In short, Tony thought that he didn't have the energy to dislike someone who seemed to have all the liveliness and good will of a puppy.

Music began. The universal cue to shut up and consign yourself to the fact that this was probably going to go on for a while.

Asgardian wedding ceremonies were exactly what you pictured when someone said 'Asgardian wedding ceremony'. It was long, boring with a lot of ritual and mysticism thrown in just for the hell of it.

There was a sacrifice of something goat-like. The blood was tossed around a bit for no apparent reason. Jane clearly had been briefed on this, because she didn't seem surprised. Like Tony, she looked vaguely incredulous though she was doing an admirable job hiding it – it was always a mistaking inviting scientists to a religious function. They were no fun and tended to poke holes in things you really wished they wouldn't notice.

Tony could only equate the wedding to what he knew and there seemed to be a best man, though no bridesmaids which, for Tony, were pretty much the only reason he had ever bothered with weddings.

_Not anymore though_, he thought quickly. As though Loki had taken residence in his mind, he found there were things best not even to think.

Odin seemed to be the person marrying them. There weren't any rings, but there was a sword being waved about, first by Odin, then Thor, then Jane was expected to carry it. Something along the lines that Odin forges the sword, the son wields the sword and the wife... carries the sword? Polishes it? _Fuck knows._

Tony knew his thinking was all wrong. Loki had told him before and proved the point on countless occasions that thinking _Midgardian _about things just didn't work in the Golden Halls.

_Fuck how much longer now?_

About halfway through, Tony rocked on his feet for a bit, bored to tears, until Frigga gave him a lovely, but telling smile. Tony stopped moving.

The sword was gone now. They seemed to have moved onto the fun part, the _telling of the lessons_ bit. Tony's Asgardian wasn't perfect by any means yet, but he knew a fable when he heard it.

Frigga bent slightly. Well a lot. She was fricking tall and Tony was... usual height. "The message to lovers is that what they have is precious and should be valued above all other things."

"Even duelling and war?" Tony asked glibly, then bit his tongue. The snipe had been so automatic and he really, really was trying not to piss off Loki's mother.

"That is supposed to be true," Frigga sighed, not put off by Tony's petulance. "Though I fear many warriors here would choose war over their wives."

"Yeah, probably because at least if they go to war, they have the possibility of winning in a fight," Tony pointed out.

To his surprise, Frigga's shoulders shook with silent laughter. "You are a wise man, Anthony Stark."

Loki's eyes flashed in their direction. He had followed Thor and Jane up the aisle – or the Asgardian equivalent – carrying the aforementioned sword. He had now taken his place opposite his mother on the left hand side closet to the Throne. The god was clearly curious as to what his mother and lover could be finding to talk about.

Tony pulled a face at his lover.

"You are good for him. Never doubt it."

"Good, maybe," Tony said. "I know I'm _good_ for him. It's whether I'm _enough_ is the problem."

Frigga nodded. "I have no answer for that. I hope so."

_Me fucking too._

When the ceremony was finally over, Tony wasn't surprised when Loki made a beeline for them. But before he could get close, he was pulled aside by some Asgardian looking nobleman. A tall guy, clearly a high up in the Asgardian hierarchy, with long blonde hair and delicate pale features wearing red and gold.

Loki could have shrugged the guy off obviously, but this was Loki's place of work after all. Tony knew he couldn't feel badly about it. As much as he wanted the god's full attention, he wouldn't have liked it if Loki had tried anything at Stark Industries.

The reaction of the crowd seemed mixed. Many seemed overjoyed at the union; some seemed simply here for the spectacle. And there were some who were muttering darkly. Tony knew he and Jane were getting a few dirty looks.

Tony walked away, waylaying floating servants with trays covered with little pieces of art of the edible persuasion. There were also trays with tiny glasses with contents that smelt like alcohol. Tony picked one up out of habit than anything else, but didn't drink it. If it was small enough that Asgardians had to drink it in short measure, Tony didn't give himself much of a chance.

Besides, the liquid was fucking purple!

"Anthony Stark."

Tony turned and looked up. Then up some more. A tall, board man black hair and huge beard, which put Tony in mind of a bear, was standing over him. He was dressed in pretty much what everyone else was dressed in - fussy Asgardian ceremonial clothes which differed from the usual clothes by being frillier and more detailed. This guy however wore a chest plate along with all this, giving the impression that while he would conform to the fussy dandy clothes, he was still a warrior.

He was also wearing a larger axe across his back than was good for Tony's mental health. Unlike the more decorative weaponry currently hanging from peoples belts, this one looked battered but importantly well kept. It screamed, _yes, I am often used_.

Tony silently swore and realized that his demented god had been right. Tony was wearing jeans with a suit jacket and had refused to go Asgardian. He had argued that Jane had given him leeway to dress how he wanted and he didn't care what a bunch of Asgardians thought of him.

Now he was regretting that. With the excess of material and detailed embroidery on everyone's clothes, Tony seemed smaller than usual in this world of giants and pomp and circumstance.

"Yeah? And you are?" Okay, not a diplomatic start. But Tony had a rooted objection to standing this close to people who could see the top of his head.

"I am Týr, the elder son of Hymir the Stoic."

Tony pulled himself up. "And I am _Tony _Stark, Iron Man and son of Howard Stark the Hammered."

"And the Prince's consort."

"And the Prince's consort, yes," Tony clarified with a charming, edged smile.

Still, this Týr guy hadn't said it with a derogatory tone, but just a statement of fact. He was calm and still, staring seemingly blankly, but Tony thought that was just a mask. There was a brain there, even if it was lost in masses of hair.

"Prince Loki has always been an unusual creature. Not a warrior, but not a civilian either. Not a Prince and not a peasant. He is far too intelligent to be a solider though he makes for a poor general. I have never trusted him."

"And how many people have you ever trusted?"

"Very few."

"Not even your dear mother?"

Týr's scarred face cracked into what might be called a smile if it didn't give Tony the impression that the man could bite through steel. "My mother would be deeply offended were I to do so."

"And what can I do for you?"

"I merely wanted to meet the creature that has so enraptured a man without a soul."

Tony decided to hold back before lighting any fuses. He was a scientist, after all. He didn't believe in souls. Not like Loki did. But his lover believed himself to have a soul and that was enough for Tony. Except the days Loki was in a terrible mood and suddenly he was a monster without redemption.

Still, if he spent all his time with these fucking morons who kept telling him he was evil, how could Loki possible keep his head above water?

"Can I ask you a question? What happened to your hand?" It had taken Tony a moment to release, initially it had just seemed as though the man had his hand in his pocket. But now Tony wasn't so sure.

In fact, he was fairly certain now that Týr only had one hand.

Týr gave another sneering smile. "Ask your lover."

"Lord Týr," came a purr.

Speak of the devil.

They turned to see Loki slinking forward. _And so the panther takes on the bear?_

"I cannot allow you to keep my consort all to yourself, my old friend," Loki said.

"Friend, is it?" Týr asked, his gruff voice getting darker. "Do not try your games on me, Trickster."

"Harsh," Loki scolded with a smile. He gave Tony a wan smile. "Týr may show every outward sign of disliking me, but we know better. He has saved my life on many occasions. As I have saved his. I believe he is currently in my debt-"

"I do not believe that to be true."

Loki titled his head curiously, "Oh?"

"I stood in your defence at your first trial. And later defended your re-admittance to Asgard. I do not believe myself to be any longer owing to you, Trickster."

Loki seemed momentarily surprised, but smiled again. "It's appreciated, of course."

Without any ceremony, Týr turned and walked away. Even among other Asgardians, he was a head taller and broader by a chest, so people moved away like minnows as he cut a path to the doors and left the hall.

"What was all that about?"

Loki shrugged. "You're a curiosity, my pet. No doubt there are many who will wish to meet you, the first Mærr þræll in over eight thousand years. That is beyond the majority of people's living memory."

"Royal Consort," Tony muttered to himself. "That's not what I meant. You and him. What's all that about?"

"I am not completely devoid of allies here in Asgard. I am not my beloved oaf of a brother, but I have formed enough connections to-" Loki broke off. His eyes flashed delightedly as he turned a smirk on Tony. "Jealous, my lovely?"

"No," Tony snapped, far too quickly.

"Týr does not like me in any form, believe me."

"He clearly doesn't like you, but he's fascinated by you," Tony said. "You're the fucking Asgardian _bad boy_ aren't you? You're the one behind the bins smoking and throwing bricks through windows."

Loki chuckled and Tony resisted the urge to punch him. He waved the little glass in front of Loki. "What is this?"

Loki said something incomprehensible in Asgardian. Then smiled. "It is also known as Tears of the Maiden."

"Do I want to know?"

"It's the juice from a native elfin plant," Loki said and delicately took the glass from Tony's hand. "I wouldn't drink it if I were you." He knocked it back in one swallow and smiled. "The Nine Realms only knows what it might do to a Midgardian. It's not alcohol so much as it's a drug. It gives a moment of warmth and pleasure."

"You get high at weddings?"

"Even Asgardians get bored," Loki said dryly.

Tony pressed himself against Loki. "Feeling good?"

Loki laughed softy. "I have drunk plenty of these growing up. It would take more than one to have much effect."

Tony pressed his lips against Loki's neck, biting down at all the tender points. He smirked at Loki's hiss. "How 'bout now?"

"Getting there," Loki murmured. Then he sighed and pulled back. "We have much to do and many people to meet. Let us not dandle."

Tony followed Loki as the god led him around the room, feeling disappointed. "Bragi and Idun, Njörd, Vili… everyone's made it, how delightful," Loki cooed as he looked around the room. "Ah, even the Lady Bovine."

"The what?" Tony asked incredulously.

Loki smiled. "Forgive me, old joke."

"Who was the long legged, blonde good looking guy draped over your arm earlier?" Loki gave Tony a sly look. "That might have sounded like jealously, but it's not. I'm just making the point that had he been any closer, his tongue would have been in your ear. I'm just saying."

"Lord Frey. He's an old family friend and a very… ah-ha… distinctive individual."

Tony saw him in the crowd. He was now wrapped around a long blonde haired woman. Curiously, also dressed in a similar gold and red. "Who's that with him now?"

"Freyja."

"His wife?"

"Sister."

"They're siblings?" Tony demanded in a strangled whisper. He gave the pair a gawking look. Turns out that Asgard could be as much as a soup opera as any. "Frey and Freyja. There's a family with very little imagination and… limited boundaries."

It was a long evening. Loki was right, Tony was a curiosity. People who had completely ignored him on his first visit were now intensely interested in this Midgardian who the Trickster god seemed to fawn over.

And Loki was fawning, in a gentle away. The looks, the gentle touches, the arm around his waist. Tony accepted it all, but knew it was for show. He loved Loki more than he had the vocabulary to say, but neither of them were gentle lovers. Neither of them were teenage boys. Their love was more intense and darker than soft kisses and smiles. Loki was putting on a show to all to win in whatever game he had going on right now.

Tony didn't mind. Tony would never admit it to Loki or himself; they were dark lovers... but sometimes Tony wished they weren't.

Even Freyja came over. Turns out her boundaries were limited in all senses. To Tony's delight, at one point, Loki even went so far as to knock the woman's hand out of the air as she tried to put her hand on his chest again.

Now Loki was off in another group and Tony, for the sake of his sanity, broke away from a crowd of young, twittering Asgardian girls to find more floating plates of food. The ones that looked like shrimp but had an oddly buttery taste were his favourite.

Thor and Jane were of course the centre of attention. Tony hadn't really seen them since the ceremony, but as the evening drew on, the crowds around them began to thin. Now Jane was deep in conversation with Sif and Volstagg. Thor turned to glance over at his brother who was chatting with more Asgardian Lords.

Was there concern there? There probably should be. Thor would have to be a moron to not suspect Loki, even if it was just in a low grade way, of planning _something_. At least the evening had gone off without a hitch and was entirely devoid of Ice Giant attacks, Asgardian Destroyer cameos or tremendous 'kneel before me' speeches.

_Pity. Might have livened things up a bit._

Thor saw him and smiled as he walked over. "I am so glad you could be here. It is occasions like this which presents Asgard at its best."

"It was certainly... er..." _Long. Boring. Inane. Stupid._ Tony shouldn't have bothered trying to wrap words around his thoughts. Thor was too hyped up on his happiness to notice.

"I was under the impression that you did not enjoy Asgard on your last visit. I hope this time will be quite different."

Tony shrugged. "Well, not like I have much of a choice. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad I was here to see, you know, all this. Honestly though, I had no idea. Loki just dragged me here. He called up an IOU."

At Thor's frowning face, Tony clarified. "I made him a promise to do something for him when he asks without argument. This was it."

"A Promise?" Thor asked, quickly and harshly.

"Promise of Obedience," Tony said sullenly.

Thor gave him a startled look which immediately caught Tony's attention. "My brother taught you the Promises?"

"Come again?"

"Promise of Obedience, Promise of Alliance, Promise of Loyalty... He did not speak of these?"

"What?"

"They are official decrees in Asgard, they are not taken lightly."

"Again with your whole, _things aren't taken lightly_ rubbish. Point break, I've never taken anything _heavily_ in my life."

"The penalty for breaking such a promise is death."

_Oh fucking typical. _Tony groaned. "You know what? I fucking hate Loki."

Thor looked at him with worry. "Do not agree to one again, Tony."

"Way ahead of you." Thor wasn't looking terribly happy. Tony clapped him on the shoulder. "Don't let your brother ruin your day. I'm here, alls well. Go be married man."

"What were the terms of the Promise?"

"Come to Asgard for two weeks."

Thor looked uncomfortable. "You are a Royal Thrall now, Tony. To break a Promise... I do not think the courts would be convinced by an argument of ignorance."

"I'm Tony Stark. I can't possibly be accused of ignorance."

"You will have to remain the two weeks."

Tony shrugged. He didn't care for being told that he _had_ to do anything. But until options presented themselves, he decided not to argue. Yet.

Loki was back. Funny how the god always seemed to be wrapped up with talking to everyone and anyone, until Tony started talking to someone else and suddenly the man was at his elbow.

Well, I say _funny_.

_Try fucking annoying._

"Tony."

"Honey-bun?"

Loki smiled idly. "It is late."

"Wide awake."

"That would be the... what did you call it? Jet lag. I'm sure we'll find something to do to wear you out." Loki turned with a nod to Thor. "Congratulations, brother."

"Thank you, Loki," Thor said with a smile. "I am indeed very happy."

"I'm sure all of Asgard is glad you are happy," Loki said smoothly.

Tony rolled his eyes as Thor seemed to miss the snide. Thor honestly only read Loki's comments at face value. It was too easy for Loki here; like shooting fish in a barrel. Or even like shooting barrels at fish.

"Come along, Tony."

Tony gave Thor a last manly pat on the shoulder and deafly avoided the Thunder god's inclination to give Tony a spine snapping hug.

Loki and Tony walked out of the doors. Tony chatted away inanely, jumping from subject to subject just filling the silent air with pointless talk. A nervous condition, Pepper had called it. Tony disagreed. He was just a guy who liked to talk, that's all.

"Hey, Týr says that you cut off his hand. What's up with that?"

"Is that what he said?"

Tony frowned. Loki sighed. "Is it only I in the Nine Realms who ever listens? Truly listens?"

"I asked him what happened to his hand, he told me to ask you."

"And from that, you assume I relieved him of it?"

"Just making conversation." _But I'm going to hear this story someday. Add it to the list of things I going to make sure I get out of him before I die._

They were walking out of the palace, into the moonlight and down some steps into a courtyard, which actually turned out to be a stable. But not one of the stables he had seen before. This one seemed more... upmarket? Clearly where the better horses were kept.

Tony raised an eyebrow in interrogation. "Sex in the stable?"

"Not tonight, though now I know you're open to the idea..."

Tony rolled his eyes in response. Loki smiled and said, "Just someone I want you to meet, before we retire."

Loki opened a stable door and made a slight noise. There was an over large black horse in there. Tony was immediately wary; the thing was far larger than any horse he had seen on Earth. Loki reached out a hand and the horse immediately nuzzled him affectionately.

"Your horse?" Tony asked.

"Odin's," Loki said quietly. There was a touch of anger there, Tony could swear. But immediately Loki's eyes turned soft as he looked back at the horse.

Tony moved forward, not entirely sure what was expected from him here. He reached out and patted the neck of the large beast. "Nice... horse."

Loki moved aside; the horse shook its head with a little snort and walked out. Tony reared back slightly as the creature moved out on a few too many legs. "Er, I don't know anything about horses, but isn't that two more legs than it should?"

Loki moved with the horse. One wasn't leading the other; they were just walking down across the courtyard towards road out of the palace together.

Tony followed, trying to keep away from any part of the creature that could bite, crap or kick. "Listen, if we're going to fuck with Odin by letting his horse out or something-"

"Sleipnir."

"Sorry?"

"His name is Sleipnir," Loki repeated quietly.

"What is it with you Asgardians and naming everything? I don't name my car."

"Jarvis," Loki pointed out. "And you talk to your suits. You call them children. We bond with our creations, it is only natural."

Despite Tony's natural bullheadedness, something was waving a little flag. Loki's body language was wrong. Fuck. _Another_ type of Loki Tony had yet to encounter. This one was quiet, tranquil and peaceful; but not happy and natural like the lover he found once in a while when things were calm. This one was distinctly old.

Tony decided it was time to stay quiet. Well... Tony's version of quiet. "It's a good horse," he said.

"He is," Loki agreed.

Loki stopped and the horse... Sleipnir... stopped too. Tony stopped because he felt so out of his depth at this point that it seemed one wrong step could lead to disaster.

"What are we doing then?"

Loki turned and made a gesture, cupping his hands. Tony stared. "I am not getting on that."

"Him."

"Whatever. He's four times my size, no way am I riding-"

"Tony."

Tony paused. Loki was looking at him with a curious expression. Tony just couldn't figure out what was going on.

"This is important to me," Loki said evenly.

Tony licked his lips and weighed up his options. Though he realised he had startling few. He muttered angrily and put his foot into Loki's hands.

As he was hoisted up onto the horse, he grumbled, "There's not even a saddle. This thing is going to throw me off and kick me to death."

"Only if you annoy him," Loki said.

"That's very reassuring," complained Tony Stark, a man who has managed to be the only person alive to annoy Tibet Monks.

Loki was holding the horses head, stroking the mane delicately. "You two have similar spirits. You should get along, you share similar ground."

"What do me and a horse have in common?" Tony asked sceptically.

Loki's eyes were soft, but alive. He patted the black neck of the stallion. "Be gentle with him, he's only a boy."

"You're telling me this is a baby horse?" Tony squeaked with some alarm, wondering how the hell this thing could get any bigger.

"An infant male horse called a colt," Loki said wearily. "And I wasn't talking to you."

Loki moved away. Then the fucking horse went from naught to sixty in a second. Tony swore and grabbed hold of what he could, wrapping his arms around the neck as it cantered forward.

The horizon lurched forward. Walls rushed at him, then they were falling behind him. Then a path was in front of him, but the insane horse, seemly deciding that paths were for armatures, instead jumped over a fence and out into the unfettered freedom of the fields around the palace.

Tony grabbed in the neck with white fingers as he slammed up and down hard on the body of the horse as it cantered. For the longest moment, he thought he was going to fall off. He gripped the horse with his legs as tightly as he could and knew he could taste his heart in his mouth.

Not to mention his guts in his stomach, his stomach in his chest and his brain somewhere back in the stable.

"Fucking Loki!" Tony swore as the creature moved. It was incredibly uncomfortable without a saddle. Parts of a man which are not meant to be pummelled to a pulp were objecting. His hair was whipping his face and his eyes were watering from the fucking speed of this thing.

Still... there was a thrill. That little clawing thrill that Tony spent so much of his life chasing.

The horse turned and followed the walls of the city. Tony looked up when he dared to move and saw the towering buildings above the wall. So much like Disney castles but with that darker, more angled edge. Yellow, red and white stone; it was almost a map to when each tower and building had been created. Some roofs were gilded in gold, some in bronze, some in silver. Statues of heroes in gold holding up platforms or lining paths or just standing around looking Asgardian.

The horse suddenly veered away from the wall, running across fields and fields of crops – Tony couldn't put a name to what – and little farm houses until it reached a wood, or a forest.

As Sleipnir made yet another insane jump, Tony almost bit through his tongue. "Fucking Asgardians and they're fucking... look, _stop_!"

And just like that, the horse gently slowed into a trot, flicking its mane back in a blatantly haughty manner and nearly knocking Tony out. Tony sat up wearily, panting hard and fixing his clothes. "Okay. Better."

The horse... okay, it neighed. Of course it did, it was a horse. But Tony was fairly certain it was laughing at him.

"Hey, where I come from, we have something called a glue factory. Remind me to take you there sometime."

Now Tony could think, his thoughts finally catching up with him, he had to admit that for a creature composed mainly of legs, it moved quite silky. When it wasn't cantering and jumping and fucking trotting about. Almost gliding than the thumping he usually associated with horses.

Tony turned. They were a good long distance from the palace now, just on the border where the large wood he always saw out the windows began.

"Son of a... turn round. Turn." Tony pull slightly on the mane, but the horse pulled back. "Okay, fine. Where do you want to go?" he demanded.

Sleipnir walked into the woods, inevitably meaning that Tony went with him. Tony didn't want to jump down at this point. His legs felt weak and shaky, and besides, the horse was so tall it looked like quite a mission to get to terra firma.

"Fun?"

Tony looked up with a start. Loki was sitting on the branch of a tree, one of his leg hanging down lazily. A picture of relaxed opulence.

"Is this some sort of Asgardian hazing? Put the silly Midgardian on a crazy horse and laugh at the screaming?"

Loki smiled and his teeth glittered in the moon light. "He's just having fun, Tony. He's as much of a child as you are."

"You going to tell me what this is all about?"

"How do you feel about snakes?"

Tony frowned at Loki's apparent non sequitur. "What? I'm not exactly wildly keen on them. What sort of question is that?"

"Dogs?"

"Don't mind dogs."

Loki gave a little nod to himself and muttered, "A little at a time, I think. No need to overwhelm. And so soon..."

Tony was beginning to wonder if Loki had gone crazy. "How much of that Dr Feel Good drug did you drink?"

"Sleipnir is my son."

Tony suddenly had an overwhelming urge to get off the horse.

"Oh?" he asked weakly. Then, for something to say, he asked, "Where's his mother?"

_Is this fucking horse laughing at me?_ It was certainly making some sort of sound. Loki made a scolding noise in his throat. He seemed softer like this. Gentle. It was another side to Loki Tony hadn't seen yet and yes, it made him seem eons old, but it was also... beautiful.

Maybe Tony could put a word to it now. Maybe, this was... paternal Loki?

Tony swallowed. "Suppose... you've been around for a while. I couldn't expect you not to have baggage. Lord knows, there's probably somewhere out there a little Tony running around. I wasn't exactly careful when I was young. And you let your father ride your son?"

"Sleipnir is more intelligent than an animal, but make no mistake, he is still a horse."

"Yeah, but-"

"He was a peace offering. The circumstances of his creation... I had not made myself popular. But the tale ends with new high walls for the city and a stallion of insurmountable magnificence."

Tony was very conscious he was still_ sitting on Loki's son_. He shifted uncomfortable and whined, "Why don't you ever tell me these things?"

Loki gave him a look which again underlined his age. "Tony... How do I tell you these things? When you live in such a simple world, were relationships are blessedly short and sweet. Didn't I make it clear enough to you tonight? Relationships which span centuries are complicated. If you think you are going to understand me and my past in a matter of months then you are quite mistaken."

But Loki had understood Tony from the minute they had met.

"No," Loki said softly, reading his mind as he always did. "I don't think I'll ever understand you, Tony."

"Just... find a way to tell me these things."

"I am."

"Find a better way."


	62. Chapter 62: Asgardian Razor

**A/N: Okay, this is a really short one shot scene which doesn't advance the plot in any way. But because I can't seem to get the next chapter to cooperate, I thought I'd post this. I love it, so hopefully you guys will too.**

Tony rubbed his hands over his chin and neck. His perfect goatee was in danger of disappearing as the hair began to grow back. It was uncomfortable and itchy. "Loki!"

"I'm sitting right here. There's no cause to shout."

"Go back to Malibu and get my shaver."

Loki was draped out over the Asgardian couch, which looked pretty much like any other couch given that in there is really a limit in design when you're talking about something comfortable to sit on. But most Asgardian couches tended to lean towards the Victorian fainting couch designs.

Perfect for a prima donna like Loki to sprawl out on. "I am most agreeably comfortable right now. I do not feel inclined to hop around the realms like an abstracted hare."

Tony rolled his eyes. Alongside the opulent attitude and the moody aloofness of prima donna Loki, a sudden re-emergence of Asgardian poetic, urbane language started creeping back into Loki's speeches.

"I've got to shave."

"Asgard does not want for razors."

"I've tried those things before. I tend to cut my throat before getting anywhere near clean shaven. And you can't get this sort of shape with a blade. Go get me my Stark Shaver."

"_Stark_ Shaver?"

"What? Could never find a decent one in the stores so built my own."

"Powered by an arc reactor and fires lasers, obviously."

"Ha ha."

Loki stood, crossed the room noiselessly and unceremoniously grabbed Tony's chin. Ignoring Tony's objections, he pushed Tony's head from side to side, examining minutely. Then he walked to the bathroom and returned with a basin of warm water, a bottle, cloth and a razor.

"Oh no. Forget it. Don't take it personally or anything, but I don't trust anyone with a blade at my neck."

"Sit down."

"Fuck off."

A seat flew at his legs, buckling his knees and forcing him to sit. _Fucking magic. Fucking psycho furniture._ Nothing in Asgard was particularly on Tony's side.

Tony shifted anxiously as Loki washed his face cleanly and began to lather on an Asgardian shaving cream equivalent. "Do you know what you're doing? You've told me before you don't shave."

"Oh how hard can it be?" Loki shrugged. Then pushed Tony back into the chair as the billionaire tried to escape in alarm. "Relax. I have done this many times."

That left Tony wondering how and why and when, given that Loki didn't seem inclined to give details. Of course, Thor probably shaved at some point, right? Though it was difficult to imagine the god ever being without the beard.

That brought both hilarious and rather uncomfortable images to mind...

Loki pulled out a razor. Perhaps it was the still slightly sadistic streak in him but the god couldn't resist letting the light reflect off the blade onto Tony's face. It was incredibly sharp. That sadistic streak didn't so much disappear through his love for Tony, but rather took on a weirder edge.

The god smiled at Tony's nervousness. Though the face Tony gave Loki was nothing sort of superior. "Well come on then. I haven't got all day."

Loki smirked and leaned down. The blade was dipped into the water before Loki caught Tony's chin delicately and dragged the metal over his neck. That first moment of metal on skin made Tony flinch. If Loki noticed he didn't comment.

"Watch the goatee," Tony warned as Loki pulled back.

"Yes, yes," Loki muttered wearily, shaking off the foam and returning Tony's neck.

Tony swallowed as the sharp blade glided over his Adam's Apple. He could feel the gentle pressure, the way the metal moved, the prickling as it caught and cut the rough hairs. Loki was leaning close. Tony could smell his rich sent, feel his hot breath on his ear. He swallowed again as a drop of water ran down his throat, tickling him slightly.

He felt slightly light headed. Maybe he wasn't breathing. He didn't dare to with the blade so close.

He let Loki manipulate his head to the other side and felt the razor now moving from just above his left collar bone up to his jaw. Loki was holding his head back, his thumb pressed into his skin creating a taunt surface to work on. The metal against his skin felt like it was moving deeper and closer than his electric razor.

It was quiet in the room. Usually there was a fire, making its happy little crackling noises. But it was a warm day and anyway, fires weren't generally lit until after four in the afternoon and it was only three. So the room was silent except for Tony's heart beat which he swore was deafening him.

Tony could feel his body tingling with energy and warmth. His heart was beating in his mouth, his eyes fixed on what he could see of Loki. Loki's furrowed brow as he concentrated, the glittering green eyes, the slight parting of his lips. Tony could feel the heat in Loki's hand as it held his head still.

Rinsing the blade again, Loki tilted Tony's head up, gazing down critically. Around the mouth and cheeks would be the most tricky, to keep Tony's preferred goatee shape. Loki bent, placed the blade on Tony's cheek and dragged it across his skin.

Tony felt his eyes dropping half shut as Loki started on the other side of his face. The bubbling tension, waiting on being cut was finally beginning to fade as Loki grew close to finishing. As that worry disappeared, it left a hole which exhaustion gladly filled.

Loki pulled back now. He judged his work critically, then pulled out the wet cloth to wipe away the remaining shaving cream. Tony leaned into the large, warm hands massaging an aftershave into his skin. It had a rich but not over-flowery scent.

Then Loki stopped, his hands resting on Tony's shoulders, looking up into his face almost meekly, if the word could ever be used to describe Loki.

Tony glanced away and whispered, "Is it wrong that I was totally turned on by that?"

Loki chuckled heartedly. "You're welcome?"

"Well, I haven't seen it yet." Tony stood, trying to discreetly adjust the tightness in crotch area, walking over to look at his reflection.

It was, even without the laden heavy sexual tension in the air, the best shave he had ever had. It was close and clean, and hadn't altered the shape of his goatee at all. The god had even neatened it up a bit compared to what he usually did himself.

"Suppose dating a knife welding psychopath has its advantages," Tony admitted gruffly.


	63. Chapter 63: Days Like These - Part 1

**A/N: Still not happy. Posting it because I can't take it anymore.**

When Tony first entered Loki's world, there was nothing for him there. It had been a problem he had faced before, but with the added doom and gloom that, now bonded to Loki, he could be expecting to do this a lot more often. It would change eventually, but to begin with, Tony was not a happy camper.

Perhaps most poignant was the fact that Loki spent a lot of time away 'working'. This in Asgard meant talking. Or in Loki's Asgard at least. Talking and talking to lords and ladies about court gossip and all that jazz. Plotting and scheming and generally being Loki. Consequently, Tony was left to his own devices and there was just nothing to do.

Fuck. Still the first week, of only two and they had already had a row.

_"It's rude to invite someone over to your place then spend all your with someone else. Must be nice. You know. Having something to do."_

"I don't have time for your petulance Tony."

"It's funny how suddenly you don't have the time to be constantly around like you used to be. Now I'm stuck in your cage."

"A cage is a viable option for you, I promise you."

"Send a clone."

"I don't have the reserves of magic to do that at the momen-"

"Oh! Suddenly there's fucking loopholes in your almighty fucking magic, my god. This is fucking new!"  
  
Sure, he spent time with Jane. But Jane was settling in quicker than Tony and was already one of a gang of girls as women tended to become. Tony had always suspected that it was a universal fact and now he had the proof.

_Ha ha, in your face Pepper_.

So Tony... wandered. He wandered the halls; he wandered back to Loki's quarters. He wandered around and about. He was... bored wasn't even the right word. He was condemned to this slow, unforgiving death of uselessness.

The only difference now was, he wandered Asgard pretty confidently. Last time, he had been little more than a third wheel. Now he was a known thrall to one of the Princes. Finally, he was back to being Stark as people around him nodded in his direction and spoke hurriedly and quietly to their neighbours.

Of course, he was living on borrowed notoriety. It wasn't Tony Stark they were pointing at, it was Loki's thrall. Still, it was nice not to be walked over by every freaking giant in this place. Now he had respect.

Or, if not respect, then something with the same flavour and body to it.

He had visited the giant black horse in its stable on the sly, while Loki was away from the palace. He hadn't ridden the damn thing again – the looks he was getting from the stable hands suggested he might be thrown in the dungeons for trying to take Odin's horse – but he had spent some time just talking. Not about anything in particular.

Then he'd had felt a complete idiot for doing so. It was just a fucking horse, after all. But still...

His first week into the Promise, there was one particularly bad day. Actually, make that two. No. Three. Three days of agony. Days Five, Six and Twelve. Where all the shitty things about his Asgard and his life in general had culminated into a point and that point was on the end of a sword and the sword had been driven into his back. Or something like that.

**Day Five  
**  
The morning had started off lazy. He had barely bothered to get out of bed until lunch. Or what passed for lunch in this place. After that, he strolled along a covered red marble walk way lined with pillars, just enjoying the heat. It was beautiful, you had to admit it. The sun shining brightly, causing the pillars to cast black shadows so was you walked; it was like a strobe effect. There was also this perfumed smell about Asgard that exhilarated you, or made you drowsy. A breeze which cooled you.

Yes, Asgard was beautiful. In small doses. But too much of it and the brain melted. There was a myth, again, Greek, but Tony had found it apt. The Lotus eaters. All of Asgard were fucking Lotus eaters. Basically, some dude in Ancient Greece was travelling around in his boat and had stopped at an island which was inhabited by lotuses. When you ate them you got all lethargic and peaceful, and so never wanted to leave.

Maybe that was what Tony feared the most; not that everything that made up Tony Stark would be ripped from him – the cars, the money, the press attention, science, the Avengers... but that he might get to a point where he would no longer want any of that. It scared him.

Who was Tony Stark without all that? Just a _Thrall_, and what did that mean?

Tony remembered all this from last time he was here, the tragic ennui.

He was coming to the end of the walk way when he realised the figure he had seen in the distance, sitting down and leaning against a pillar with a book was Loki.

It had taken Tony slightly longer simply because the colour scheme had been wrong. Loki's clothes always tended towards dark colours; blacks, dark greens, muddy reds. But these were clearly court or ceremonial clothes or something. It was the usual shirt and trousers Asgardian men wore, but it also had a robe. And it was in embroidered gold. Tony didn't think he had seen Loki in gold, but the god could pull anything off.

Tony didn't know why he hesitated. He wanted to catch the man unawares as Loki had done to him so many fucking times. He was enjoying the sight of Loki sitting so peacefully, looking so restful with his book. He was burning with anger that in this apparent free time, Loki hadn't come to find Tony.

_Fucking ocean of emotion...  
_  
He was about to approach when he saw Thor striding into sight. Neither god had seen him yet and for reasons beyond Tony, he suddenly felt the urge to find out what was going on. Because something was going on with his dark god and, from his angry face, Thor too.

Call it childishness, mischievous or investigative instinct, but before either saw him, he stepped quickly behind one of the broad pillars.

As Thor approached, Loki barely looked up from his book.

"Brother," Loki acknowledged in a vague voice.

Tony winced as Thor literally hauled Loki up and rammed him up against the closest red marble pillar. Tony scooted quickly around his to keep out of the brothers' view. The Thunder God's fists were grasping Loki's shirt, forcing the man against the pillar, almost holding him off the ground.

Loki hissed and fought but Thor was so much more powerful. "Oh yes!" Loki spat in an angry laugh. "All mighty Thor, just walks in and takes his anger out on the first thing he sees! How many times have we been through this, brother?"

"Silence your venom," Thor said, "You know why I'm here."

"I honestly have no idea, Thor. What has you vexed this time? Did Valstagg knock over your tanker again?"

"You tie Tony Stark into a Promise? Without explaining the consequences?"

_Fuck. I'm in for it tonight.  
_  
Tony was surprised. He thought this had been dealt with at the wedding. Thor had seemed to sympathise, but had shrugged it off. Or so Tony had believed. Of course, the middle of your wedding was an inconvenient time to drag your little brother away and beat him senseless.

But Tony had always had the impression that Thor immediate reaction was explosion, then deliberation afterwards. It was one of the reasons Thor was rarely divisive; his temper was instant and volatile, but he seemingly didn't have the energy for long term grudges.

Unlike his lithe and beautiful brother who rivalled Pepper in his ability to keep a pointless silly argument going to a month.

Or pointless and silly as far as Tony was concerned.

Perhaps Thor had the right idea about things... But for Thor to have found out about the Promise, waited two days until he could get Loki alone before confronting him suggested that perhaps both Loki and Tony underestimated Thor in his ability sit back, measure his responses and not to react to his first instincts.

_Aw. The little Thunder God is growing up.  
_  
Loki laughed but hissed as Thor shook him, banging Loki's head back against the marble. "It is none of your concern!"

"He is my friend!"

"He is my thrall! Mine! Shall we speak of the lovely Jane instead? Her pretty brown eyes following the Magistrate Gunnar in the court this morning? Oh yes, I saw. But do not fear, brother. Whilst the intelligent do gravitate towards each other, but I'm sure your _weapon_ is enough to maintain any girl's-"

Thor shoved Loki back hard before releasing him. "I will not let your lies fester in me. The time you might twist my mind is gone."

Loki sneered. "Oh really? Where is the little flower now?"

Thor's eyes flickered.

_Damn. That would be Bingo._

_Or Bullseye?_

_No, definitely Bingo.  
_  
Loki spread his arms. "Admit it, brother. Scratch the surface and we are one. We both wish to possess, to own, to rule. Raised with the trappings of royalty, we believe that all is ours to take. We were born to rule. The difference is I admit to the fact. I embrace it. And now I have a man I own, entirely, and will not suffer it any other way. You? You pretend that anything less than Jane's complete obedience does not cut you to the bone. You pretend not to care that she speaks to others, that her glances at others does not fire up your every demand for her loyalty? Oh please."

Thor moved so he and his younger brother were nose to nose. "Just tell me that had Tony refused, you would not have exacted punishment?"

Loki cocked his head, looking innocent and confused. "But... It is the law. Not a promise between my boy and I, but a Promise, enforced by the King and Courts of Asgard. It would be a crime for me not to have reported a refusal." Loki gazed a Thor in theatrical alarm. "The heir of Asgard suggests I should commit a crime?"

"Enough with your pantomime! What are you planning?" Thor growled.

"I do not know what you mean, brother."

Thor threw his hands up in disgust. "You treat the man you claim to love most ill."

"He's fine," Loki said dismissively. "He gets what he wants. I get what I want. We feed a mutual need in one another."

"And that's it?"

"What more is there?"Thor made another noise of frustration.

"I am watching you, brother," he said warningly, leaving with long strides.

"Oh I'm sure you will," Loki muttered darkly as Thor left.

Tony waiting until Thor had returned to the palace and Loki had settled back next to the pillar with his book before emerging from behind the pillar.

"Hey."

Loki looked up with a smile. Had Tony not just witnessed the event, he'd never have known. "Boy," he purred. "I hoped you would appear. I have need of you."

Tony let Loki reach up and pull him onto the marble step beside him. He kissed Tony hard, deeply, pushing him backwards so Tony was lying back over the stone floor. It was pure hedonistic distraction from whatever was going on in Loki's head.

Tony sighed, wrapping his arms around Loki, humming enjoyably and rubbing his body against his lover's. "If you wanted me, you should have come and found me."

"Indeed I should have," Loki agreed. "Such a fool I am."

More kissing, more touching.

"Nice get up."

"Thank you."

"No that was sarcasm. You look like a peacock."

"Bad boy."

"I prefer you in less," Tony said with a smirk.

"Never use my quotes against me, darling. It's terribly bad form."

Tony was cut off from another gibe by a very flexible tongue being pushed back in between his teeth.

The kiss ended, all too soon. Loki sighed and pulled away, leaving Tony flustered, hot and shivering. Tony cleared his throat and sat up. "So... What's there to do in this dump?"

"Training, feasting, politics."

Tony gave a miserable sigh, pulled out his light pad again and began tapping. A companionable silence fell between them, which was growing increasingly comfortable every passing day. It contrasted sharply with the stress of being the forgotten toy in Asgard. A feeling which was growing ever more prevalent.

Green eyes strayed to the wire frame suit. "Another?" Loki sighed, the disillusionment heavy in his voice.

"Always better," Tony muttered his entire focus on the figure. "Faster, more bang."

"I'm delighted for you."

Tony threw a harsh look at his partner. "Don't whine at me, it's not like I'm wearing it to bed."

Tony focused in on the arms. He wanted to turn his one shot lasers into a permanent weapon. But the amount of power that was needed he would have to turn arms into batteries, leaving no room of anything else. Still, he'd find a way. He always did.

The pair looked up as a man walked up to them. Tony recognised the uniform as one of the general servants. "My Prince, his highness has requested your presence in the Throne Room before the court reconvenes."

In the way of things, when something is preying on your mind, you become convinced that every little incident is tied up in your own worries. In the background, for Tony, it was the constant, nagging worry of what was happening on Earth. What was happening to make Loki so distant?

Loki nodded and the messenger left. Tony's eyes fluttered as Loki's tongue slipped between Tony's lips once more. "I will be back," he muttered against Tony's lips.

Tony stood, "I'll come."

"No."

"Why does he want you?" Tony asked, following Loki out.

"I have no idea," Loki said airily. "Go back to our quarters."

"Loki-"

"Go now or be punished, right here, right now," Loki hissed.

Tony felt the anger build inside of him. He couldn't even speak as the god turned and walked away. Tony turned and marched to the quarters. What else was he to do? He headed back to the main building of the palace, deliberately taking the longer route out of misplaced defiance.

"Midgardian."

Tony rolled his eyes and kept walking. They would just have to learn.

"Midgardian, Man of Iron!"

_Well, close enough.  
_  
Tony turned. "Sorry, are you talking to me? Name's Tony."

"And I am Sif."

Before him was the tall, Amazonian woman he had seen a few times before. He thought he had seen her at the wedding too. She had looked... _huh. So that was the story._

"Oh yeah. What can I do for you?"

She looked like there was something she needed to say, but inevitably, she began with the pleasantries. "Are you enjoying your time here in Asgard?"

"No."

"I imagine it is very different from Midgard. I have only been there briefly in the last few hundred of your years, but even on my short visit, I could see it was a very dissimilar world to our own."

"Ah-huh."

Sif looked away slightly, seemingly gathering her thoughts. "I shall not take up your time. I will say what it is I need to say. It has become clear that one of the foremost reasons Odin forgave Loki's crimes was because he bound with you."

Tony waited.

"You are perhaps the reason he is free."

Tony waited some more. The woman seemed to be trying to work her way up to a point.

_A point. Like on the end of a sword. Pointing at his stomach.  
_  
"Both Queen Frigga and Thor believes that you have been a positive influence on Loki."

Tony glanced at his watch. A pointed action for pointless reasons.

A futile exercise in hand to eye coordination given that Asgard worked on a 28 hour clock. How the fuck did that work then, I ask you? Tony was very slowly being driven mad by it, he knew.

"You must understand," Sif said. "Loki's mischief is legendary. Therefore it is difficult to believe any word, any action he performances. All are shrouded in double meaning and duplicity."

"Duplicity. Gotcha."

"But Thor is an honourable and noble warrior, and believes that his brother can be redeemed. I fear for Thor; the trust he so willingly bestows on those not worthy. You are a bearer of that trust too, the trust of our future King."

_Wait, is she saying I'm not worthy? Or..._

"I believe you must understand our concerns, Tony Stark, despite your binding to Loki. You are no fool. You must tell me, what plan is Loki devising? His focus seems to be on the courts but I cannot devise his scheme. He must confide in you, his only thrall, you must know of his intentions."

"Nope."

She seemed to wait for more. Tony just smiled blandly. She continued in earnest, "But you could find out. And tell Thor."

Tony laughed. "Bite me." Her look suggested that was a colloquialism she wasn't familiar with. "Listen Xena, I'm not your spy."

"Loki-"

"Are you part of the Royal family?"

"No-"

"Then shouldn't you be referring to him as Prince?" Tony asked cooly. He shrugged. "I'm just guessing, I don't know."

Sif pulled herself up. "Of course. Forgive me."

"And what you don't seem to get is how this is Loki's world. Not mine. I don't expect to see him giving orders or spying in my company or at SHIELD. Only fair I return that favour."

Sif looked like she was going to argue, but the stormy expression passed and she bowed her head. "I apologise."

Tony's eyes narrowed slightly. "Did Thor-"

"No," she said quickly. "Thor does not know that I have approached you on this. I would... greatly appreciate it if you did not tell him."

Tony gazed at the angled, serious face of the woman. "You don't like Loki, do you?"

Sif stood proudly. "I am loyal to Prince Thor, the true heir to the throne. Loki brought the historic enemy of the Asgardians, the ice giants, into Asgard _as a jest_! He is himself spawn of that evil. He instigated Thor's banishment. Usurped the throne. Attempted to kill the true heir and his once brother. No. No I am not fond of Loki Laufyson."

Tony took a step forward. "I'm Loki's Thrall. How exactly did you think this little chat was going to go down?" he said under his breath.

"Thor has described you as an intelligent example of your race-"

"Xena, I am an exceptionally intelligent example of humanity. My name is Tony Stark, making me the most intelligent human being alive. Incidentally, it also makes me a thousand times smarter than any of you sword swingers."

A nasty smile tugged at the Amazon's lips. She lowered her head slightly, only emphasising the fucking height difference. "Well, I should congratulate Loki, for managing to find a fellow soul as conceited as his own."

"Thanks. I'm pretty blown away by it too," Tony said cheerfully. "I don't believe in shit like soul mates but damn, him and me, we're just perfect. It's great to love a guy who loves you back; must suck to see Thor running around with a _Midgardian_, am I right?"

Sif reared back, staring at him in anger and alarm.

Tony smirked, "It's too obvious."

_I'm not feeling even slightly guilty about that. You don't ask me to tattle-tale on anyone._

Sif was getting angry. As concerned as Tony was that this woman could easily pull his arm from its socket and beat him to death with it, he really didn't care.

"I think you are faithful to him purely through ignorance."

Tony moved away. "Yeah. I'm going to go."

"Do you know what your official title is here, Tony?"

Against his better judgement, Tony turned with a sigh back to the woman. "It's Prince's Consort. And on second thoughts, why don't you feel free to call me Man of Iron."

Sif made a slight scoffing noise. "With a certain generosity of spirit. It's Prince's Consort-_Thall_."

"What's the difference?"

"You're a Thrall. Not a partner."

"What are you-"

"Do you know Thor intends on binding with the _Lady_ Jane?" Sif said. There was a slur in her voice which made it clear her feelings. At least Sif had so far been nothing short of courteous to Jane in public as far as Tony had seen. Clearly her personal feelings where very different.

"Yes."

"So she'll be his Thrall. _And _he's married her. That's two different things."

"Is there a point to this, because I've-"

"Marriage in Asgard is between a man and a woman. Thor and Jane. You, Midgardian, are just Loki's official whore with all the airs and graces. Loki is still unwed and I am certain, as soon as it becomes politically convenient, he will marry. And then you'll have a mistress to serve too, if Loki becomes the sharing kind. You're just a slave, but with a title and a position in court. Did he mention that? That he could still wed? You're just a toy to occupy Loki and keep him out of mischief, that's why everyone's delighted. Did he tell you? Given his last female mate was a giantess with which he spawned three demon children, I'll hazard a guess you're in for a very interesting life, _Man of Iron_. Did he tell that? Did he?"

Tony turned away and walked into the palace. Behind him, he heard Sif ask the question again, but he kept walking and refused to think. At all.

_A horse, a dog and a snake. _

_Well that explains that._

Xxx

Maybe an hour later, Tony looked up as Loki walked into the bedroom. He spread his hands. "And here I am, the good little boy waiting for his god to return."

"So I see."

"I can pour you some wine if you like? Suck your cock? Your wish is my command."

"What ails you now, Tony?" Loki asked wearily.

"Oh nothing, nothing at all. But if my manner doth offend, maybe you'd like me to get you a crop to beat me with? I can crawl with it in my mouth like a good pet?"

"I'll bring you back to Malibu at the end of the two weeks, Tony, I promise."

"Nay that is the last thing on my mind. Would you like me naked? I could fetch you the cattle prod, oh god?"

Loki threw himself onto the couch and glared at Tony with no small amount of venom. Tony matched it briefly, then turned his eyes back to the fire. "Nine more days," he muttered sourly. "And then what? Another two weeks?"

"Eighteen days at most, my love," Loki said, trying to placate his angry boy. "Two weeks and four days, is that so hard? Is there something I can get you from your home to make your stay more comfortable?"

Tony rounded on Loki. "Why can you can make field trips back to Midgard but I can't?"

"The Promise dictates that you must remain in Asgard for the entirety of the two weeks. It's not I you must fear, but the courts. They would demand your execution to uphold the laws."

"That's just political bullshit. This is still about the Von Doom thing isn't it?"

"The 'Von Doom _thing'_ where you were captured, tortured and almost destroyed? Of course it's not. I can assure you, I never think of it. I promise you, my every waking thought is _not_ bent on ensuring that it never happens again. My every nightmare has _nothing_ to do with it."

Tony shook his head angrily. "If you can't deal with my life then-"

"This has nothing to do with your capture by Von Doom," Loki said, cutting off Tony before he could begin the real rant. "It baffles me that you have yet to ask why I brought you here at the same moment Thor brought Jane. At their official wedding."

It had occurred to Tony. But he had just assumed. "You're showing off. My Thrall's better than your Thrall sort of thing."

"My Thrall is better than his Thrall, but that's hardly why."

"Then why?"

"In fact, I will take you up on your earlier offer. I do want you naked."

"Loki-"

"Now."

Tony stripped slowly, shedding each garment and dropping it to the floor. Doing this fast or angrily would just lead to pain, he knew. Loki liked his little performances. With the fire behind him, outlining his body in a warm glow, he looked more divine than the figure on the couch.

As Tony blocked the only light source, it threw Loki into semi-darkness, making him appear shadowed and angled. The demon and his pet.

The only soft light that highlighted the cheek bones in Loki's face was the blue glow from the arc reactor.

"Lovely," Loki purred as Tony stepped out of his socks. "Now get me a glass of wine."

_Fucking fucker fuck._

Tony complied and brought it back to Loki. "There is a reason you're here. It's… political. You wouldn't care why; you only need to know that, so far, things are going according to plan. But you must remain a little longer."

"Are you still trying to dethrone Thor?"

"No."

"How do I know you're not lying?"

Loki met his eyes. "How do you usually know?"

Tony glanced away, feeling his body shiver. Loki's hand curled around his wrist and pulled. Pulled down until Tony had no choice but to let his knees fold underneath him. He knelt in front of Loki.

"Bear with me a little longer, love. Just a little longer. What I do, I do to secure our future."

Tony made a noncommittal noise in his throat.

"You're my Thrall. I need you here while Jane's here to show that I too have a Thrall."

Tony pulled his wandering mind back. "You what?"

Loki made an impatient tsking noise. "You remember I'm Jötun don't you?"

"Slipped my mind."

"I'm not Asgardian."

"I think I remember thing along those lines, yes."

"I have a Thrall."

Tony's mind worked hard to keep up. "Do Jötun have Thralls?"

"No."

Loki stroked his goatee with a large thumb as Tony thought. The hand was cupping his face tenderly and he found himself leaning into it.

"What's going on with Jötunheimr?"

"Odin is attempting to re-establish peace."

"Okay…"

"The courts believe that Odin's original plans for Jötunheimr should be enacted."

"The original plans being…?"

Loki didn't answer. His lips moved to kiss along Tony's brow as Tony's thoughts kicked up another gear. "You. You were the plan. To set you up as King there, Thor here and so two realms are finally at peace. You've brought your Thrall here to emphasize that you're too Asgardian to be Jötun."

"Pretty boy, clever boy," Loki whispered indulgently.

"That better not be your whole plan, because I have no intention of spending the rest of eternity at the North Pole."

"Of course it's not the entirety of my plans. But it's the only one you need to know about."

"If you told me more, I could help you. What if the worse happens? Just tell me you have a plan B."

"Plan B is Álfheim."

"Home? Fuck, Loki, we've been through this a dozen-"

"There is more in that realm than our mountain. If you're a good boy when we're at home, I'll let you out every now and again."

"To hang out with the poets and philosophers?"

"And sorcerers."

"_Par-ty_," Tony drawled unenthusiastically.

He was done playing the submissive now. Loki wasn't giving out any of the signals. There was going to be no sex tonight.

Tony didn't know what had happened to Loki, but the guy just didn't seem to be interested anymore. Oh sure, he had jerked Tony off. And he had watched Tony this morning in the bath as Tony had teased his own body with his hands, all but begging the god to join. Loki had enjoyed the show, but hadn't joined in.

Tony stood and walked away angrily, pulling his clothes back on.

Loki was still talking. "There are craftsmen there too. I think you would like them. I think you would learn much from them. They could teach you how they work metal; metals you have never even dreamed of. There are engineers in Álfheim who deal with problems far greater than AOTS and suits. Engineers who could teach you how to create machines which can lift cities."

Tony snorted, but realised Loki was serious. "The power you would need for that would be… magic, right?"

"No. They are an incredibly intelligent race, Tony. They are the thinkers of these realms. Asgard and Vanaheimr, the warriors. Jötunheimr and Hel, the realms of the monsters. Svartálfaheimr, the realm of the duplicitous and bloodthirsty. Niflheimr and Muspellsheimr, the realms of elements."

Loki smiled, his eyes glittering and bright. He leaned forward, glass in hand and purred, "If you're really, really good, my sweet little boy, I shall take you to Álfheim and show you Eöl Súrion's Device."

Tony made a face. "Ooh goodie. And what the fuck is that then?"

"It's a device of perpetual motion." Loki sat back and took a long drink from his glass as Tony stared.

"But… everyone agrees that… it's impossible. It is. You'd have to violate the laws of thermodynamics to..." Tony paused. "And they have a machine that…?"

Loki nodded.

Tony swallowed. "Have I mentioned how stunning you've been looking lately? Really very noble, Princely looking even." Tony snorted and rolled his eyes. "You know me far too well."

"Well enough, my pretty one."

"You have to take me to see that."

Loki nodded again. "I will, Tony. I promise. But not for a while, I fear. Being seen in the cities of Álfheim at the moment would not be wise."

"Why?"

"Politics." Loki paused. "Tony, I'm trying. I really am. I just… my beautiful love; I don't want you to… just stay here where I know where you are. I do not have the energy to work my mischief and be constantly concerned at what you're-"

"Hey, hey," Tony said quickly, joining Loki on the coach. "What's the matter with you recently? What's going on that's tying you up into such fucking knots?"

Loki stood. "It is almost time for the court to resume. I must go."

"Fine. I'll stay here shall I?" Tony grumbled.

But he didn't. He needed to find Thor.

It didn't take long to find the Thunder God. He was in the grand hall, drinking it seemed. _Let's face it, there's not much else to do._

"Point break! Want company?" Tony asked, sitting down on the bench next to the hero, his back against the table.

"Tony," Thor acknowledged. But his attention was still on his mug.

Tony noted the reserve in Thor's appearance and tilted his head slightly. "Everything alright?"

Thor took a long drink and looked thoughtful. "Did Loki- Forgive me, do not answer if you feel it is inappropriate, but did Loki ever show any… _reserve_ before þjáey?"

Tony raised his eyebrows. "I can honestly say absolutely not. Why?"

Thor looked a little downcast. "The time for the binding between Jane and myself comes closer."

"And… you don't want to?"

"Of course I want to bind with her, Tony," Thor said, a touch angrily. Then he looked back into his tanker. "It is just… it's a daunting step to take."

Tony snorted. "For her, maybe. Can't see what the problem is from your perspective."

Thor looked a little put out and shrugged. "I am aware that it is not death, but the possibility of brotna is, I believe, terrifying enough."

Tony groaned, "More fucking Asgardian. You've lost me. What's br… that?"

"Loki did not mention this?"

"Thor, I'm going to say this once and only once so take note: if there's something to be mentioned, Loki _hasn't_ mentioned it."

_Like marriages, children and weddings and shit._

Thor laughed slightly, almost nodding in silent agreement of his brother's character. "You know of the fate of the Midgardian after their Asgardian's death?"

"The writhing."

"Weosnian."

"Gazuntight."

"The Asgardian, on the death of their Midgardian-"

"I thought that _enthralled _Midgardians were supposed to be immortal?" Tony objected.

"I am supposed to be immortal," Thor pointed out. He shrugged again, the long blonde hair shifting slightly with the movement. "Perhaps it is fairer to say, _almost_ immortal."

"Okay."

"On the death of their thrall, the Asgardian is struck by brotna. They become broken. A soul that had existed as one in two bodies is destroyed. They are left as living ghosts. Many take their lives." Thor looked at Tony pointedly. "We do not take our own lives, Tony. Down that path Valhalla does not lie. We die in battle or from battle exhaustion."

At Tony's frown, Thor explained. "When warriors become old from their battles and the strain of their lives, they can die. Not by a sword or arrow, but from mere exhaustion. It is likely this will be what takes my Father, he is very weary…" Thor looked away miserably and finished his tanker. "For an Asgardian to commit suicide they must be in great perturbation of mind and many cases I have heard of have been because of the death of a thrall. Apparently you simply… do not wish to live. It takes great strength to push past the agony of separation which many do not possess."

Tony sat quietly for a second, then said, "So… the Asgardian _chooses_ to die, but the thrall dies anyway." He laughed at Thor's dark look. "Seriously? I'm not going to feel sorry for you, man. We hapless mortals are still getting the shitty end of this deal. I'm sorry if, when a thrall dies, an Asgardian feels really, really miserable about it. But the Midgardian dies no matter what."

"Whereas the Asgardian only wishes they were dead," Thor pointed out.

"Yeah, but still lives. Choice. That's what you get that I don't."

"Why did you choose Loki?"

"Pardon?"

"Why did you choose Loki?" Thor repeated, the rumbling, solid voice sounding like it would ask the question for decades if it had to.

"I don't know," Tony said weakly. "But you answer me this; are Loki and I a couple? I mean, officially?"

Thor frowned, the alcohol slowing up the thinking processes that wasn't exactly light speed to being with. "Of course, Tony."

"So he can't, I don't know… get married? To someone else. You're not polygamists in this realm?"

Thor stared at Tony blankly. Then his eyes focused. Then he threw his tanker on the ground with a bellow and thumped the table, swearing harshly in Asgardian.

"Okay! Freak out the guy with an electromagnet in his chest, why don't you!" Tony shouted over Thor's angry exclamations. "Or is this asking you for more mead again?"

"Has he not taken the time to tell you anything?!" Thor shouted. "Has he not shown any respect to you?"

"This is Loki we're talking about."

"You are… important to him. I believe that, though for all the realms I cannot understand his treatment of you. You are everything to him. But this is not a marriage, you are a consort. A Consort-Thrall. Marriage is still possible for Loki. But I for one do not believe that it will happen; he loves you."

"But that doesn't stop him for using marriage in one of his great tricks, does it?"

"Why do you love him so? Why did you choose him over me?"

Tony's eyes must have popped out his head. "Er... fuck. Um... you... don't... you and I-"

"No, Tony!"

"Okay." Tony watched Thor carefully. "You could have been a little less _adamant_ about that. You know. For my feelings and all. So… what are you saying?"

Thor shook his head, apparently irritated Tony wasn't getting the point. "Tony, I'm not in love with you. My heart belongs to Jane. But I will not deny my jealousy that my brother should have gained your devotion. When he clearly does not deserve it. It is usually I and I alone who inspires such adoration."

Tony raised an eyebrow. "The three of us should create some sort of Spoiled Brat Association. You know what, I think you've had one too many tankers of-"

A tongue pushed roughly past his teeth. Tony leapt, his head flying back only to be caught and held still by a large hand. Thor's rough beard scratched against his face and goatee, it was a completely foreign sensation for Tony.

Tony's eyes widened as he pushed Thor's chest, trying to pull away, very aware of Thor's other hand now resting on his inner thigh.

Thor's kiss was intense, rough, demanding. He tasted of mead and spice. He smelt musky, a far more masculine presence than his slender, artful, lithe brother.

Tony felt that rush of powerlessness as Thor became more forceful and panicked as he felt his body awaken. Loki's fucking fault for holding back on the sex for the last week. As Thor's hand moved forward, oh so slightly brushing Tony through the material, his cock twitched.

He shoved the man back and stood, back-peddling so quickly that, to his eternal embarrassment, he fell down and hit the floor. As Thor rose in alarm, Tony was back on his feet, fixing his jacket.

He pointed a finger. "Not cool," he gasped. He fixed his hair self-consciously, his eyes darting around for Loki. "Really. Not cool dude."

He turned and walked away quickly, his heart in his mouth, his body buzzing from the fall and the kiss. His eyes dilated; his cheeks pink; his lips swollen.

_Fuck._

After the court meeting was apparently over late that evening, Loki finally appeared. Tony was sitting in the large bath, cut into the stone floor like a hot-tub. He glanced sideways as black boots appeared in his perfilreal vision, but didn't move.

Loki pulled off his colourful jacket and laid it neatly over the back of a chair. "The servants tell me you did not go to dinner."

"Hum."

"You must eat. Shall I ask them to bring us something simple?"

Tony didn't reply, glaring at nothing. Loki sat down on the floor next to Tony's head and slender white fingers played idly in the water. "You're very quiet, my boy."

"I'm thinking."

Loki made a little noise in his throat. Tony cringed slightly as Loki's lips kissed his face and neck.

"When are you taking me back to Malibu?"

"I told you my love. Soon."

"How long?"

"Soon-"

"Damn it, Loki! Get me the fuck out of this fucking place!" Tony shouted, the water splashing up as he slammed his fist against the wall of the bath. His voice echoed in the stone room, bouncing off the walls and returning to ring in his ears.

Then there was silence, expect for the sloshing of water.

Tony shuddered and turned back, folding his arms over his chest and staring at the water.

"What's happened, Tony?"

"I am sick of being a toy," Tony growled. A toy, that shiny one that you wanted so desperately for Christmas and when you finally get it, all your friends are jealous and want a turn. "I'm just fucking sick of it."

Loki watched Tony's harsh expression for some time, before standing up and walking out. Tony let himself sink so his was neck deep in the water.

_Fuck._

When Tony had dried himself off and walked back into the bedroom he found Loki playing a board game which looked a lot like chess. Though Tony didn't recognise any of the pieces and they certainly didn't move as you'd expect. The board was larger too.

Take that back. It looked a bit more like Risk.

"What are you playing?"

Loki looked up with dark eyes, then back at his board. "A game."

"Well duh." Tony glared at the angry Loki. "You going to sulk all evening?"

"Are you going to tell me what happened?"

Tony looked away.

"Then go play with your suit designs and leave me be," Loki said, turning his back on Tony.

Tony walked over to the fire, slumped down on the couch and pulled out his light pad. The room was deathly quiet, apart from the soft click, click as Loki placed his pieces.

_What he doesn't know can't hurt him._

And there was more to consider. _What the fuck would Loki do to Thor if he knew?_

They were interrupted by a knock on the door. "Enter," Loki said, his eyes fixed on the board.

A servant walked in with a curtsy. She glanced hesitatingly at Tony, then said something in Asgardian. Or probably Asgardian. It sounded off.

Loki raised an eyebrow, replied and the women left. He stood, pulling on his usual black, thigh high jacket. "Remain here, boy."

Tony rose to his feet. "What's going on?"

"One of the court clerks requests my presence."

Tony watched Loki moved to the door. "That's a lie, isn't it?"

Loki caught his eyes, his face blank, and left.


	64. Chapter 64: Days Like These - Part 2

**Day Six**

Loki didn't return that night. Around two in the morning, Tony gave up and went to bed. When he woke, the god still wasn't there. That worried him. He felt his insides knot uncomfortably.

He dressed, expecting, hoping, praying that any second arms would suddenly appear around his waist. That lips would suddenly glide across his neck. That Loki would storm in and drag him into the bed by his hair. Anything.

He headed to breakfast, which was often a far quieter affair than dinner. Most of the Asgardian warriors were either hung over from last night, or had got up at the crack of dawn to hunt. Either way, the hall was never full.

Of course, he was dreading the conversation. Their fight had ended with tension heavy in the air and for Loki to have disappeared after it... It alarmed Tony. He was dreading the look in Loki's eyes. He was praying that this would blow over, but there was no point in worrying about that now.

When he made it into the banqueting hall, he spotted Jane. Tony might have avoided her if she hadn't looked up and waved him over. He said down awkward on the long wooden bench.

Jane smiled gently and said, "I'm sorry about Thor."

_Oh... well this is fucking unexpected._

Tony looked up carefully. "Sorry about…?"

"I heard what happened. I'm so sorry Thor put you in that position."

Tony gazed carefully at the girl. She just looked tired, but calm. Tony cleared his throat. "Are you okay-"

"Oh no, I'm absolutely livid. But I understand." She shrugged.

"Because I'm so amazingly attractive?"

"Sure. That'll be it," Jane deadpanned. Then she rolled her eyes and explained. "Thor and Loki... they're so… so fucking hot headed. They think they can just take what they want and... as much as I try to show Thor he can't do that, it's in the blood, you know? What royal in any universe doesn't think they're entitled to whatever the hell they feel like? And all of Asgards like this, everything is a battle for honour, for respect. They scrap like cavemen, like there's a limited amount of food and women and riches so they had to fight over every inch of it. It's ridiculous; they have everything they could possibly want but they still treat everything like war for resources."

"Wow. That's deep."

"That's the truth. That's how this society is, trapped in the dark ages were the largest ego gained the most resources and the more you have, the more you have to lose. It's fucking messed up, Tony. And we're right in the middle of it. Still, fun to watch sometimes."

"You're taking this well."

"Yeah well, Thor's going to be sleeping in the stables for a bit." Jane gave Tony a pitying look. "Tony, I like you. But come on. When it gets right down to it, would Thor really choose you over me?" She gave him a cheeky smile which made him laugh, finally letting go of his concern.

"You're a wonder, kid."

"Thor's a real big fan of the boobs. So unless you've got some of them in your flashy suits, I'm not all that worried."

"Can I just say I'm also a pretty big fan of the boobs? I mean, fuck, just look at them."

"Thank you Tony."

"Seriously. You're like every boys wet dream." Tony narrowly avoided the sharp kick Jane tried to give him under the table. "So Thor..."

"He told me. Confessed, I suppose is a better word. What about Loki?"

Tony shrugged. "I haven't seen him yet."

"So you haven't heard what happened?"

_Oh shit._ "What happened?"

"Well, Thor told me his version. For what it's worth. And Idunn told me what Eir told her-"

"Idunn?"

"-but everything Eir heard, she heard from Grid-"

"Eir?"

"-So who knows if it's true. Grid tends to be a little overly dramatic. Besides, the reputation Loki has, it probably suits everyone that he'd come across as the bad guy."

"Grid?"

Jane rolled her eyes. "Eir's servent."

"Eir?"

"Idunn's sister! God, Tony, are you activity trying not to settle in?"

"Hey! I thought you were on my side! Remember? Where are the mass specs and telescopes? Where's the Starbucks? Where's civilisation in general?"

"You're a big boy, Tony," Jane said. "You made this decision. You've got to run with it now."

"Fine. Whatever. Just tell me what happened with Loki and Thor?"

"Like I said, Grid was in the armory delivering a message to Alfr-_Eir's husband_, Tony. Jeez. Thor and Loki were in there talking when all of a sudden; Loki basically... knocked him on his ass."

Tony groaned.

"They had a fight, well, scrap. Sounds like Loki totally school Thor too, he must have been pretty pissed. It wasn't serious or anything, it was more, you know... What brothers do. I had two cousins and they used to have a punch up whenever they met, but it always ended with them at the pub. Thor and Loki are the same, I think. It was over pretty quickly and they were sitting out in the gardens talking all night." Jane sighed. "I didn't hear about any of this until this morning. Which is a hell of a way to wake up, your husband with a black eye, cut lip and broken rib telling you he kissed Tony Stark and was attacked by the god of mischief. Fuck. Do you believe our lives?"

"I don't believe it and I'm living it." Tony shifted uncomfortably. "I really don't want to be... You know... _homewrecker_. That's not my gig. Well, not anymore."

"It's fine, Tony. Really. Thor and I are good. Just make sure you and yours is. Look, Tony... If Loki gets... _Difficult_... Please don't be too uncomfortable to come to me and Thor."

"By 'difficult', you mean homicidal?"

"Psycho killer."

Tony smiled. "Don't worry. I know how to handle my psycho killer. Where is the big Thunder god anyway?"

Jane smiled, a gentle happiness in her face. "He's gone back to Earth. Preparations for the binding, he said."

"You're going through with that then?"

"Yeah. Yeah. I'm ready. I love him."

"Even after all this?"

"He kissed you Tony, get over it. It's not the end of the world." Jane glanced over his shoulder. "Ah. Looks as though you're not going to get your breakfast."

Tony glanced up, then over his shoulder at the spot she was indicating. Loki was standing by the open doors. He caught Tony's eyes and gestured him over.

"Bullocks," Tony sighed. He smiled at Jane. "Gotta go, Dad's home."

"That's gross," Jane said, pulling a face.

"Oh I see and everything else about relationship is healthy?"

The walk across the hall seemed like the walk of death. But Loki was as calm, cool and impassive as ever. He looked happy, though a worn and tired. And with a black and blue bruise across his jaw.

"Ouch."

"It will heal."

"Did you walk into a statue?"

Loki ignored the bait. "Did you eat?"

"Yep."

"You're a terrible liar." Loki turned and began walking. Tony realised they were heading back the quarters, the route was so familiar to him. "We'll get food brought to the room."

Tony followed in Loki's shadow, his mouth on autopilot, wittering on and on about everything and nothing, his nervousness apparent to anyone. Loki just walked in silence.

As they stepped in, the god closed and locked the doors behind them. Tony glanced at the silent figure. "You lied. You're a big lying liar lying fuck. Lying liar liar."

"You've made your point."

"Liar! Lying lying liar lie. And your jacket's torn."

Loki looked down. He hadn't seemed to have realised. "Blast Thor," he muttered bitterly.

Tony watched the god move to a cupboard. When Loki was in Asgard, his... _godly magnificence_ seemed to be on a cooling period. He dressed properly, rather than by magic; he walked around rather than warped. Tony assumed there was an explanation.

What it did mean though was Tony was getting much more of a 'normal' life with his lover.

Loki changed his shirt. His chest looked peppered with bruises and cuts but nothing serious. It seemed Jane was right, it was more of a scrap between brothers than an all out war between enemies.

"I did not know why Thor wished to see me at such an hour, but it was clearly about you or he would not have requested the servant deliver the message in old Asgardian. Even with your growing skill at the language, you would not have been able to understand that."

"But you can?"

"Old Asgardian is the language of magic." Loki smirked. "Thor is such an _honourable_ man. He couldn't bare the idea of keeping it secret. He apologised." Loki glided across the floor, his body pressing against Tony. "Can I assume your mood last night was in consequence of Thor's actions? There is nothing else vexing you?"

_Marriages. Demon children. What's going on back on Earth you're not telling me about? Why won't you fuck me?_

Tony shook his head.

"Excellent. Then I expect a massive change in attitude from you, boy. I tire of your tantrums."

"That's it? You're not angry?"

Loki buttoned up his shirt and shrugged vaguely. "Angry? Am I angry that Thor finally admitted that I was successful in gaining something he desired? Angry that you chose me over him? And I angry that he attempted to take, as he always does, only to be rebuffed? That after the event you ran straight back here? Am I angry that he was forced to apologise and admit to his jealously?" Loki smirk broadened. "Oh no, Tony. I'm positively delighted."

Tony still wasn't sure. "He doesn't want me, you know."

"I know, he wants your love. He would never stray from his darling Jane, but he wanted your love and admiration. He wanted you as his new Fendral. Another in his crowd of simpering pups. To fawn and yearn at his feet, accepting what affection he chooses to deal out. It must be positively alarming to the mighty Thor to see his young brother thus adored, and not himself."

Tony glared. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?"

"More than I can find the words to express."

"I'm sick of it. I'm sick of being a toy. I'm sick of… I'm fucking sick of all of this."

Loki was back against him, his lips on Tony's cheek. "Sick of this? Really? You're sick of being so perfectly glorious that two gods measure their success against how much of your love they have?"

Tony raised an eyebrow. "Well… when you put it like that…."

"So perfectly divine, that two gods fought over you?"

"You gave Thor a bloody lip and broken rib."

"And thoroughly enjoyed myself." Loki licked his lips and pressed his cheek to Tony's. "Do you want me to stroke you, Tony? Make you shudder to climax in my hand?"

"Nah. Want you to fuck me."

Loki smiled and moved away. "Later. I have too much on my mind right now." He gave Tony a mock serious look. "My boy expects so much from me now; I could not perform if I knew I would deliver anything less than perfection."

"Sometimes fast and dirty is enough."

"Later. Maybe." Loki gives him a intense look. "Is there nothing else?"

_Marriages. Demon children._

Tony rubs the back of his neck and breathes, "Nah. No. Fine." Then he smiles. "I can't believe you and Thor went at it and I wasn't invited. Fuck. Missed the cat fight of the century. No... wait, there is something. Loki… never mind. Actually, fuck it, what's going on back on Earth you're not telling me about?"

"I believe the Red Sox won their little sporting battle against the Knicks."

"Don't bullshit me."

Loki held his gaze for a little longer.

"Can we just get to a fucking point in this... _relationship_ were I'm not... standing next to the fucking fuse waiting for the fucking dynamite to go off?" Tony asked plaintively.

Loki's eyes slid away briefly. Then he turned and pulled out a saddle bag which had been resting against a chair for some time. "Just remember, you cannot leave Asgard. It would mean an immediate execution order. I'm sure Thor would try to intervene, though it would go very badly for him if he were. You don't want that, do you Tony? You don't want Thor to suffer for your impetuousness, do you?"

"Seriously? You're trying to guilt trip me? That hasn't worked on me since I was eight. Gimme me that."

Loki handed over a case. Tony opened it, then resisted the urge to drop it in disgust. "You're handing me an _Apple _product? Are you trying to make me throw up?"

"It's not from me," Loki said. "I dropped in on Bruce Banner. I thought you'd want... news."

Tony's stomach flipped. The real world seem so distant, so far way. Every day it was becoming more and more like a dream. Which up until now Tony assumed that's exactly want Loki wanted. Tony flung himself into the chair by the fire and quickly turned on the iPad.

"You are not going back. Not just yet, so put all thoughts of that out of your mind," Loki said, warningly.

"I just want to see what Bruce's got for me."

"I will not let you leave."

"Don't be such a drama queen. This thing is going to run out of battery in two minutes anyway. I mean come on, why do people still buy this shit when Stark Industries have the light pad?"

"Because it's ridiculously expensive and gimmicky," Loki pointed out.

Tony pressed a theatrical hand against his chest and made a noise of pain. "Ow. I mean seriously, man. Ow." Loki rolled his eyes and Tony pulled a childish face at him. "We're working on bringing the costs down. And stop talking to Hammer, he's clearly leading you astray."

Tony tapped on the video file on the screen.

Bruce's face popped. He looked his usual calm if tired, tousle haired self.

"Hey, Tony. Loki... erm... popped in. Which was... weird, I have to say. But he said he wanted to bring you news which I thought was thoughtful. Or, he's not going to give this to you and use the information I'm just giving away for free here for some nefarious scheme, in which case, I'm a sucker. But I'm going to trust him because I trust you... man this is a bad idea. Er. Yeah. So... anyway... uhm... Bad news first... SHIELD was attacked. The Helicarrier. But it was a completely botched job, they attacked at the worst possible time for them. There were more soldiers on board than usual because several shore-leaves had been cancelled and we were all there, Nat, Steve, Barton. So yeah, pretty bad luck for them. No one's hurt, nothing's been lost. All that happened is we've captured Doom's second in command. Some squirrelly guy called Fiedler. Natasha and Fury are working on getting information out of him. Don't ask me who's the good cop. More bad news... Doom and HYDRA have... buddied up. United through their hatred of us, presumably. I don't want you to get worked up, we're dealing with things. Everything's fine. Steve's taking it all pretty hard though. He's even more broody... if you can believe that. We had a... bit of a disaster in our last mission. No causalities or anything. But I'm not going to lie, it's tough without you or Thor. Still, I suppose that's a good thing. They're beginning to realise how important you are to the Avengers. We're all okay. We lost and opportunity to get Doom, we had him cornered, but it just didn't happen. Fury went completely crazy when we got back. But what's new, you know?"

Tony heard Loki moving things around unnecessarily. It was the closest Loki had ever come to fidgeting.

"And… er… Well, Rhodey has been making a bit more of a showing recently. Or should I say _Iron Patriot_. You probably remember the big event thing he did with the military just before you left. Well, he's keeping his word, you know, _making America safe_. He's fine, Tony, he's absolutely fine, but he got shot down over Sierra the other day. He's already up and about so it's really nothing to worry about. But I thought I should tell you. And... what else... Stark Industries is doing well, but the press are being... well you know... Stark goes into hiding with his new fling when arc reactor bombs being used by terror cells-not that any more have gone off. I promise, on that front it's been completely silent. But you know what the press are like. That guy you were telling me about – Bobby. I know we're supposed to hate him, but the press conference he gave was good. Real good. I think you would have been quietly quiet impressed."

_Asshole._

"Oh, before I forget, I'm attaching something Jarvis wanted me to give you. You know, even now it's just... I know Jarvis is like a super brain, but it's still weird being rung up, having a long chat with him about the weather and TV shows and stuff, hanging up the phone and realise you've been talking to a computer. I mean, it's just weird, you know? Everything about your life is weird; Jarvis, the arc reactor in your chest, Loki, your friends... I just hope you're managing to find some... normalcy. In Asgard? Is that even possible? I don't know, I'm rambling I think."

Tony realized he was getting choked up._ Fuck. This was like the letters I used to get in boarding school._

"Tony, turn it off."

"No."

"Er, what else? Oh, the Red Soxs won. I thought you'd like to know that. I recorded the match and I've downloaded it on to this. As well as a few papers and... oh yeah, Jarvis. Jarvis asked me to attach a report for you. I couldn't understand it but I'm sure you will. Just seems to be status updates… and... Loki's in my kitchen. I have no idea what he's doing in there." Bruce muttered, looking away from the camera on the iPad and seemingly craning his neck to check what the god was up to. "Yeah. This isn't weird at all. So, good news. Pepper's just been made Operation's Director at Honolulu Chem. It's a pharmaceutical company in Hawaii which is starting a pretty major expansion. And she and that guy Lloyd are engaged. I spoke to her yesterday, she's seems real happy. Um... You've been on the front cover of every gay magazine. Don't know if that's a good thing or not, but the pictures are good. So, yeah, anyway... Hope you're having a great time there. If anything, it'll keep you out of trouble. Or get you into more. Not sure. But lots of alone time with Loki and I know that's what you've been wanting for a while."

_No shit._

"So… um… bye."

The video ended. Tony leant back in his chair. His vision was a little blurry. He must be tired.

He felt the iPad being removed from his hands. Then Loki was kneeling down in front of him, his hands on Tony's legs. Looking up at him with large, green eyes.

_Damn those fucking eyes_.

"Stay here with me."

"Do I have a choice?"

"No."

Tony nodded, his throat a little tight. "For now."

Loki's lips were kissing Tony's hands. Wrists. Forearms. The god leant up, his lips moving to the inside of Tony's elbow and sucking. The sensitive skin tingled as Loki's tongue swirled. It made Tony shiver. Then the kisses were traveling up to his biceps, his shoulder. His neck. Tony let his mouth open to accept Loki's hot and heavy kiss. All the tender stroking, petting, kissing. Comforting rather than sexual.

_Fuck, he must really be worried._

Loki was sitting in his lap, holding Tony's head in his hands and kissing Tony until the mortal became light headed.

Loki was worshipping. Loki never worshipped but here he was, sitting in Tony's lap, devoting over every inch of Tony's skin and if Tony kept his mouth shut, he could have a completely docile, submissively little god to play with.

But…

Staying quiet wasn't Tony's fucking skill.

"Loki," Tony hissed as Loki's teeth chewed his neck. "I told you where the Helicarrier was. Didn't I?"

Loki went still. He pulled back and eyes met. "Yes, you did."

"And what did you do with that little titbit then?"

"I... went on board the Helicarrier. In disguise. I planted a transmitting device and gave Doom the frequency. I gave him enough information to launch the attack, but I ensured he would not be successful. It's no coincidence they attacked at the most idiotic time."

"Why now? Of all time do you tell the fucking truth? Why couldn't you have lied, I would have fucking believed it. I always fucking do." Tony glared at Loki's shoulder. "Why the fuck… why?"

"So that SHIELD could capture Doom's second in command. Quite a victory for your friends."

"And this is all part of your master plan?"

"Fiedler doesn't like me. He deliberately counters every suggestion I give to Doom. He was making things difficult, he didn't trust me and I couldn't work my charm on him. I could just have killed him, Tony. I handed him to SHIELD instead."

Tony swallowed. Loki leant back in, returning desperate attentions on Tony's neck. "Now we're being honest," Tony ground out behind clenched teeth. "What about this SHIELD agent they're all going on about? The one that saw you and Doom talking."

"He's dead, Tony. I'm sorry."

"You?"

"Doom. Though I didn't exactly make much of an effort to stop him. It could have been too suspicious to care about the life of a SHIELD agent."

_Damnit, damnit, damnit!_

Tony blinked as the words he thought he had only thought now hung in the air.

Loki looked at him wearily.

Tony shuddered, the effort of keeping calm wracking him to his core. "Just… just make sure whatever you're fucking grand scheme works, okay?! Don't leave us both in the shit."

"I will not fail, Tony."

"Yeah, but at what? What's your goal?"

"Our safety."

"And that's all you promise?"

"Nothing else is of any consequence."

"And how will you achieve our safety then?"

"When all threats are eradicated," Loki said in the tone of the infinitely calm and the unshakeably insane.

Problem was, Loki was a prima donna. A drama queen. Mentally unhinged. Fucking psycho. Loki viewed everything from Doom to Bruce to the common cold as a threat to his precious toy. How far would he go?

"Fuck," Tony muttered. He pushed Loki off his lap. "I need to go out. I need to walk."

"Or fly."

Tony turned round. Loki held out a metal briefcase. Tony reached out and grabbed it like he was out to sea and he had just been thrown a life line. The cool metal under his finger tips set off that buzzing adrenaline. He began to feel like Tony again.

He walked out to the window, flipping the case open and reaching in.

Metal panels slid up his arm, covering him, cocooning him. Blocking out the pain from the world around him.

_Iron Man._

With a last snap the chest plate locked into place and the helmet joined clicked in. He jumped up onto the rail of the balcony and flipped down his visor.

"Dinner is eleven hours," Loki said behind him. "I'd like to see you there."

No commands. No orders. No demanding. Just a polite request.

_Go fuck yourself._

Tony nodded and jumped off the ledge.

xxx

Tony sprinted down the corridor, devoid of his iron suit, and skidded to a halt in the entrance to the Grand Hall. One or two people looked up, but by now most people were familiar with the crazy Midgardian so paid him little attention.

Tony's eyes scanned the hall and caught Loki alone at the end of one of the far tables, a book cradled in his hands. He didn't seem to be eating. Tony jinked and weaved across the room and threw himself onto the bench next to Loki.

"What's on the menu?"

Loki looked up and for a moment Tony thought he looked surprised. And relieved. But the mask was already up when he replied, "The usual. Meat."

"What are you eating?"

"I'm not hungry."

Tony pulled a couple of plates towards him and started to fill them both. "Is this stórr hind? That's my favourite."

Loki caught Tony's hand before he could shovel more food onto the plate and gestured at a servant. "Please bring my consort-thrall stórr hind."

"What's this then?""

Loki considered it. "The closest description I can give is 'possum'."

Tony dropped the fork with a clatter. "Okay."

"It is very tasty, Tony. You should try it."

"No."

Loki smiled. The look practically screamed 'Challenge Accepted'. "Come on," he crooned. He took a chunk of the meet between thumb and forefinger and held it to Tony's lips.

"I am not eating a possum."

Loki put the meat between his teeth. _Okay, weird._ And pulled Tony towards him by the neck.

"Come on, seriously! Right in front of your parents, Loki, you should be ashamed," Tony hissed.

With less resistance than he should have shown, Tony let himself be dragged forward and took the food from Loki mouth. Loki kissed his neck as Tony chewed. "Right. So it's not bad."

They turned at a movement and saw a servant was waiting with a dish of stórr hind meat, looking a little baffled.

"Problem?" Loki purred at him. "Just put it on the table and go. Thank you."

Tony and Loki started on their dinner now, but not without a constant litany of gropes and whispers and looks. Tony felt like he was sixteen again.

Loki had to spoil the mood, didn't he?

"I had thought you'd be angrier. I did not believe you'd attend the meal at all."

"Everything's better when you're flying."

"Do you want to ask me any more questions?"

"I really, really don't." Tony glanced over at the other tables. They were all full with people laughing. Curiously enough, Thor didn't seem to be among them. Jane, however, was sitting with a group of women, clearly having fun.

"I belong to you, Tony Stark."

"I know," Tony sighed. _That's what makes everything so difficult. I can't hate him; I love him too much for that. I can't leave him, not because I physically, biologically can't but because I'll never love like this again. And that's suddenly become so important to me._

Tony had spent all day flying around Asgard, clearing his head. Working out what was important and what wasn't important. What was important was that he was Loki and Loki was his. It was important that Tony never forgot he was Stark, but also that Stark never forgot he was boy.

The Rock of Ages. He had spouted the nickname so causally but fuck if it wasn't completely true. And not just the glam rocker part. Loki was unbending, unmoving. Loki had been Loki for longer than Tony had ever been Tony. Longer than there had been civilization in general. The Rock of Ages. His Rock of Ages. Tony couldn't have his anchor without accepting...

Pepper had been an amazing women, truly. But she had bent and twisted to try and fit Tony's world until she couldn't take it anymore. Loki wasn't like that. Loki wasn't getting dragged in, Tony was the one being dragged in.

Tony had also thought about the Promise. The Promise of Obedience. He didn't understand much about Asgard but he was at least sure that there would be some sort of voodoo mumbo-jumbo shit going on that meant alarm bells would go off somewhere if he did try to leave.

On the other hand...

It was basically a magical contract, wasn't it? And Tony had signed to obey a command without question in exchange for... well... sex. Probably not an arrangement he would have made had he understood, but hey-ho.

What had Loki said? 'Come with me to Asgard', that's what he had said.

Tony thought he saw opportunity in that sentence, but decided to hold back on his thoughts until the right moment.

He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. He was getting tense and strung out, he needed sex. "Tell me you love me."

"I love you, Tony. I always will."

"Where's Thor?"

Loki looked a little perturbed by the subject change. "I took him down to Midgard this morning, though-"

"And he's still there?" Tony asked incredulously. "Oh god... you killed him and buried him somewhere didn't you?"

Loki rolled his eyes. "Only in my dreams."

"Seriously, he goes missing after a big fight? You've killed him and disposed of the body."

Loki smirked. "A body that large would need quite a bit of disposing, so much... meat."

The mouthful of food Tony was eating suddenly got caught in his throat. He had to force himself to swallow. "I'm gonna stick with the mead," he muttered, pulling the global towards him.

Loki laughed delightedly at Tony's slightly ill look. "I assure you, as angry as I was, Thor and I ended our tussle on good terms. Perhaps it is the fact he finally admitted that I won. This time, I have come out ahead. Call me a child but-"

"You're a child."

"It's almost cathartic to finally win one over my brother."

"Your _brother_?"

Loki smiled gently. "Yes," he answered simply. "Trust me this once, he has only returned to Midgard and though he would not tell me why, I do not believe it is SHIELD related. He asked me to return him to Asgard in a few hours' time."

"Giving your brother lifts. That's so sweet."

"Stop it, Tony." Loki sighed. "I believe that he is preparing for þjá ey." Loki paused, seemingly waiting for Tony's reaction. Tony kept his eyes on the view out of the window. "You have not noticed it has been long delayed?" Loki probed.

Tony shrugged without emotion. "No. I hadn't."

"The original plan, as far as I can work out, was for it to be done two months ago. Either Thor or Jane is hesitating. I suspect I know who."

"Is it cold tonight or is it just me?"

"Thor has got it into his mind that he is harming Jane, by binding with her. That she should be free to live her life as was naturally intended."

"You little gossip."

"Tell me you don't enjoy my gossiping."

Tony couldn't. "You never had those qualms."

"I do not see how your happiness should infer with mine."

"Fucker." Tony watched Jane talking animatedly. She at least didn't seem to have any cares. Though, Tony had to admit that he was the last person on Ear... in the Nine Realms whose opinion on women should be taken. "I'm glad you bound me."

"I'm sorry, what did you say?"

"I'm not saying it again."

Loki smiled. "Then I shall assume you professed your dying devotion and thanked me for my complete enslavement of your mind and body."

"That's not even close to what I-"

Light was suddenly blocked. They looked up. Sif and Fandral were standing at the table. Freaking giants. Sif's arms were crossed and Fandral stood with one hand on his belt. His sword was missing - presumably you didn't wear it to dinner, but he still stood as though it were there. Force of habit Tony supposed.

"Where is Thor?" Sif demanded.

Loki raised an eyebrow. "Why, on Midgard, of course. He has been there all day. Did he not tell you?"

"Why would he return the Midgard and leave the Lady Jane unattended?" Fandral asked.

"At the time she was perfectly safe. After all, you were away," Loki purred.

_Ooh. Burn._

Fandral just gave a little shrug of '_well, obviously'_.

Sif on the other hand threw Loki an angry look. She turned to Tony. "Is this true?"

"Do not speak to him," Loki said sharply before Tony could answer.

"Why the hell not?" Tony demanded of his god. Then he looked Sif up and down and drawled, "Not that I can help you anyway. I was out flying today. And I don't like your tone, Leela."

_Did I really just do that?_

_She's going at Loki over nothing!_

_Yeah, because he's an asshole._

_He's my asshole._

"Yes, many saw you," Fandral said, apparently trying to inject some frivolity into the conversation. "You gave many the impression some great metal demon was loose! I have to say, it was-"

Sif spoke over the blonde god. "Thor would not just depart without informing us."

"Maybe he's just got a lot on his mind," Tony said defensively.

"Maybe this is another trick," Sif pointed out.

"Other than the giant eagles, it's not a common sight to see a creature so large swooping around in the air. Well, not since the last dragon-"

"Quiet, Fandral."

Loki stood with a sigh. "If it vexes you so, I shall go to my brother and bring him back immediately. I'm sure he will understand your anxieties and willing abandon anything he is doing do return."

Sif and Fandral were now looking uncertain. They obviously wouldn't want to bother Thor if he was genuinely occupied. Sif stepped up to the plate again. "If he has not returned by the hour of retiring, we will inform the All Father."

Loki smiled. "Of course. I'm sure Thor would have informed the All Father of his visit to Midgard. I'm certain the reason he asked me to transport him and not the All Father is simply because he did not wish to bother the King."

Again, planting suggestions. Ideas.

The pair wouldn't want to get Thor in trouble. Did they really want to risk going to Odin if Thor hadn't before he left?

Tony had to admire Loki; for all intents and purposes, he was being cordial, understanding and accommodating. But he was still, with very little effort, directing the situation for his own ends.

Sif scowled and walked away. Fandral gave the departing woman a pitying look and sat down with the pair. "You'll have to forgive her, she's been... particularly riled. I have no idea why."

Loki smiled. "Never much luck with women, our Fandral."

"Hah! I have bedded thousands."

"And how many are there come the dawn?"

"Why would they need to be?"

Loki chuckled, drinking from his tanker. It was interesting listening to his dark god in this macho banter. Presumably, as feminine as Loki was, he could also be masculine when he needed to be. Otherwise, he existed in this state of elegant, silky feminine charm while oozing control and a very masculine sex appeal.

Tony found the almost androgynous combination as sexy as hell.

Fandral sat with them and Tony was surprised how friendly he was with Loki. He caught Tony's curious looks and seemed to feel the need to explain. "You see, I have known the Princes the longest of the Warriors Three. I was born in the palace like they were. Or at last-"

"Like my brother was," Loki interjected without missing a beat.

"Right. So I've known Loki longer than most. I like to think I know him better."

"So you know he's not evil?" Tony asked.

Fandral snorted. "No. I just know that he isn't _only _evil."

"Can I say how much I enjoy hearing about myself as though I were not here?" Loki said with a dangerous little smile.

Fandral jerked his head towards Loki. "Has he told you of the time he shape shifted into a woman to seduce a Dark Elf and steal an enchanted sword?"

Tony choked on his mead, water combination and looked up, wide eyed. "No, but you're going to tell me."

Loki sighed as Fandral launched into the story, reducing Tony to holding his ribs to stop them from splitting. The basic plot was pretty much what Fandral had said; Loki had turned himself into a woman and loved up an Elfin Warrior before stealing his sword in the night. But the way Fandral told it, with swooping language and graphic scenes had Tony breaking down in hysterical laughter.

"W-wh- oh god I'm dying," Tony laughed. He took a breath. "Why?" he asked helplessly.

"He wanted the sword."

"But why?"

"Some lover, wasn't it?"

_Well that deflated it. _

"Oh?" Tony said, turning to Loki.

Loki shook his head gently. "Don't be so quick, my love. It wasn't a lover. As such. It was the Queen of the Elves. The sword was stolen from her family during the last war. She wanted it back."

"You've always been more invested in the elves than your own kind," Fandral said warning.

"My own kind being...?" Loki asked.

"Devious bastards everywhere?" Tony supplied helpfully.

Fandral laughed. Loki nibbled his neck playfully. Tony felt heat bubble up inside of him.

An hour later, Loki sighed and left the table."I must collect Thor," he said. "First though, we must get you back to our quarters."

_Our quarters. He said our quarters. Our home._

"You go to Thor. I will take him back," Fandral offered.

Loki snorted. "I think not."

Fandral raised his hands placating. "You know me well, Loki. The male form has never appealed. Your Thrall is safe in my hands."

"Bedding was not my concern. You'd take him halfway there, get distracted by a bosom or a slender ankle and leave him to wander the halls unaccompanied."

Tony snorted and staggered up from the bench. "You-I-ha don't need some-some Prince Charming, Dread Pirate Roberts cheap knock off to... whoa."

Loki caught Tony has his legs collapsed beneath him. He put him back on the bench. "Was I drinking?" Tony asked bemusedly.

"We have still to deduce the right amount of mead to water for your fragile body, my pet."

"Not fragile. Y-you fragile."

Loki kissed Tony chastely and pulled him up into his arms once again. "Come on."

"Loki, could you ask Thor to find me once he returns?"

"I will inform him."

With a slight nod of the head to Fandral, Loki turned away, pulling and carrying Tony though the corridors. Tony complained bitterly. "Why... not warping?"

"Odin does not look favourably upon my use of magic within the walls of the palace," Loki said.

It was a stumbling, erratic journey, but Tony was eventually sinking into the warmth of a bed. "Come on, Lo," Tony cooed, pulling at the arms as they tried to leave.

"I must collect Thor. And you must sleep."

Tony whined. It fact, it might as well been a meow. "You not want me... anymore?" Loki gave him a dark look. Tony smiled cheekily. "Mean... ignoring your thrall."

"You're a bad child, Tony."

"I'm a very good boy, act-tually," Tony muttered thickly. "Forgive you, all kinds of shits. Big and little shits. Didn't yell 'bout marriage thing did I?"

"What marriage thing?" Loki sighed patiently, his eyes flicking over to a clock.

"House pet when you marry," Tony muttered, rolling over onto this front and crawling to the head of the bed. "Don't care. Get married if you w-want. Don't care."

Tony felt his arm being caught by Loki. He was flipped over unceremoniously. "Who's been pouring such poison into my boy?" Loki snarled.

"Xena. Natasha's mother!" Tony laughed blearily, the alcohol making his emotions fuzzy and uncontrollable.

Loki glared at nothing, his eyes burning with a quiet fire.

"Touch me, fuck me up," Tony murmured, his eyes almost shut.

"You're practically asleep, Tony," Loki's voice answered. He sounded as soothing and calm as always, but he was still livid with rage.

"Nah. Wide awake," Tony whispered.

Its days like these that made Tony wish he could love someone, anyone else even an eight as much as he loved Loki. He wished he could love anyone else, but Loki was so deeply embedded in him now, so lodged in his mind and soul that Tony Stark meant Thrall and Thrall meant Boy and the Boy was the Iron Man when he wasn't Tony Stark.

_Or something like that. _

_I don't know._

_I'm pretty drunk right now._


End file.
